Deceptive Contempt
by Gottaluvit
Summary: This is an AU Elseworldish type story. Set in Lisaverse a set of stories that Lisa from Bludhaven has created, where Roy and Lian live in Gotham. Cass is about 21yrs old, and Dick and Babs are together and so is Bruce and Dinah...please reveiw.
1. Chapter 1

**Title- Deceptive Contempt**

**Summary- An AU what if story, set losely in Lisaverse (the universe Lisa (from Bludhaven)has created where Roy and Lian have made Gotham their home, and of course Cass is a bit older than she appears to be in canon. Dinah and Bruce are together, and so are Dick and Babs)**

**Rating- M for later chapters.**

**DC owns all characters.**

**Part 1**

**Roy Harper walked along the dimly lit street, the conversation he'd hadwith Cass an hour before still playing on his mind. He had found himself drawn to the vibrant young woman more and more over the last few weeks... he had stayed well clear of any form of romantic involvement with the dark haired beauty. Not that he hadn't considered it, in fact she was the first thing on his mind when he woke each morning and the last thing he thought of at night before going to sleep..he chuckled softly to himself...it didn't even stop there, she was the main focus of his dreams each night, not that he'd be telling anyone else _that_, Dick would kick his ass, and Bruce...well he didn't even want to think about what Bruce would do.**

**He pulled his coat tighter around himself, a combination of his thoughts and the cold night air causing him to shiver. They were predicting snow over the next week..Lian was excited at the prospect and Roy smiled to himself at the thought of her happy little face. Lian loved Cass, and Roy knew that Cass was fond of his little girl as well, since he'd moved to Gotham she had visited him regularly to see his daughter...and as a result Roy had felt a growing attraction that he had worked hard to keep hidden, she had showed little sign of sharing his feelings...until tonight.**

**Tonight he had offered to take Cass out for dinner to thank her for looking after Lian for two days last week when he had to go out of town on a case he had been working on..Dinah was away and the nanny he usually relied on...who was watching Lian tonight, had been called away to deal with a family matter. Cass had been quick to offer her help, Gotham could do without Batgirl for a night or two she had said. That statement had surprised him, he knew how dedicated she was to her work and that made the offer even more significant. Tonight he had found out why she was willing to make such and offer..tonight he had realized his feelings were returned and she felt exactly as he did. He hadn't told her that he felt the same attraction...he couldn't allow her to feel there was a hope of anything eventuating between them, that couldn't happen, it would make things too complicated.**

**If Cass had been a stranger things would have been different, but Cass was too close to home...Roy had been friends with Dick Grayson for too long to be willing to allow anything to come between their friendship. And becoming romantically involved with Cassandra Cain would certainly be one thing that had the potential to do that, Dick thought of Cass as his little sister...She had been found and taken in by Dicks adoptive father Bruce Wayne and Roy respected both Dick and Bruce to much to...**

**The sound of a child crying pulled his mind away from his thoughts. It came from an alley nearby...it seemed odd that a small child should be outside in the cold at night and the father in him was drawn instantly to the sound. The alley was only a short distance from his apartment building and he'd passed by it almost everyday..He stepped into the alleyway. Tall buildings lined either side and the rear was blocked by a brick wall. Huddled against the wall Roy could see a bundle. He walked quickly towards the huddled ball, breifly noting that the back half of the alley was clean...there were none of the garbage cans, cardboard boxes or junk that he had seen normally laying in it when he walked past...that would have normally made him suspicious..but the sound of thecrying child drew him forward.**

**He was almost to the sobbing form, when he froze...scuffling behind him alerting him to the fact that he wasn't alone. Glancing again at the bundle in front of him, his body tensed, it was obvious to him now that it wasn't a child, merely a pile of blankets, no doubt the sobbing was some sort of recording designed to draw him here. He cursed softly to himself and turned to face whoever was behind him. Cursing again when he realized there was in fact ten of them.**

**There was no way out of this predicament he realized, all he had on him was a pocket knife, the rear of the alley was blocked and he now knew why the alley appeared to be so clean...they knew him, they'd planned this, they'd left him nothing he could pick up and use as a weapon against them. He braced himself as all ten men launched themselves at him, the pocket knife flew through the air and embedded itself in one thugs shoulder and Roy ran forward and slammed his head into the face of another with a sickening bone shattering crunch.**

**But that was all he could do..the other eight men had him on the ground before he could do any further damage. Held face down by all eight of them, his arms pulled cruelly behind his back, his legs screaming in agony as the full weight of the men who knelt on them crushed them into the hard ground beneath..Roy couldn't even struggle. Even his head wasn't able to be moved as it was held to the ground and a blanket thrown over it.**

**"Yah got it ready?" a gruff voice said.**

**"Yeah, let me find a vein and we'll wind this job up." another voice replied.**

**One arm was pulled away from his back and straightened out, still gripped by strong hands, Roy felt his heart racing, thudding adrenaline charged beats against his chest..his breath came in short stressed gasps as he struggled to gain control of his panic stricken thoughts. Then he felt it...a sharp prick to his arm...a familiar feeling of warmth coursing through his veins..his heart rate increased even more than it's already racing beat, his entire body burned with fire and his skin tingled as the drug tore into his brain.**

**"That'll teach ya to mess with Mr Buxton." one of the thugs mumbled as they cautiously released their captive.**

**Roy didn't move, he was vaguely aware of his attackers leaving, but he could do nothing to stop them. He lay still for a moment, before slowly crawling to his knees and making his way shakily to the nearby brick wall, leaning against it and closing his eye's, retreating to the far away place the drug had sent him, the fire in his body making him feel warm and safe, even as the first flakes of snow began to fall around him.**

**end part 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part2**

**Batman pulled his cowl back to reveal Bruce Wayne, he raised his hand and ran his fingers through his hair, he didn't know what to make of the information the Commissioner had just provided...He was grateful that he had been notified, but he had known instantly that all was not as it seemed. He had called Nightwing in, his son needed to know the situation and he would have a better idea of how this could have occurred.**

**"Bruce?...What is it ?" **

**Bruce turned to face his adoptive son and former protege. Dick Grayson now worked the streets of Bludhaven as his alter ego Nightwing...He had grown into a formidable young man and Bruce was prouder of Dicks achievements than he could say.**

**"How long has Harper been clean?" he asked the young man.**

**Nightwing removed his mask, and tossed it onto a nearby chair, he puzzled the question for a moment knowing Bruce was referring to Roy's time spent in drug addiction years ago. "At least ten years..." Dick stopped, uncomfortable with the question and wondering what had caused it to be asked. His eyes questioned Bruce, waiting for the older man to say more.**

**"I had a call...a warrant was issued to search Harpers apartment after an anonymous tip was phoned in and some information sent through to back the claim." Bruce paused for a moment, watching a flash of emotions flicker across Dicks face as the younger man began to realize what Bruce was about to say.**

**"No way!...Bruce no way would Roy have anything to do with junk again...The tip was wrong!" **

**"The tip wasn't wrong...heroin was found hidden in his room, as well as the equipment he needed..."**

**"This is bullshit Bruce..you know it and I know it..Roy wouldn't touch the stuff.." Dicks voice had begun to rise in anger, he knew his friend, he knew Roy would never slip back to a time that had been so dark in his life..Roy had Lian, she was his light...he'd never relapse, if only because of the love he felt for his daughter.**

**"I know he wouldn't..I'm not doubting that, I knew instantly there was more to this than meets the eye. But the end result is that the boy is in deep trouble...His past history has come back to bite him here..That and the junk found in the apartment was enough for the authorities to remove Lian from the home..they have her in care."**

**Dick stared at the floor momentarily, absorbing what he had just heard. "Where's Roy?...This must be killing him." he finally replied.**

**"That's why you're here, Roy's not home..Lian's nanny is still there waiting for him, apparently Roy called almost two hours ago to say he was on his way home, shortly before the police raided the apartment...I've sent Tim to talk to the nanny and I'm going to find out just what information the police have and as much about where it came from as I can...Barbara is already accessing the police files to see what she can find. I've called Cass in and I want the two of you to find out where Roy is and who he was with tonight." Bruce said.**

**"I know who he was with." a voice came from behind them as Cass walked in... She had heard the last part of Bruce's instructions, and was now staring at them looking puzzled. "He was with me." she added.**

**Bruce raised his eyebrows, ""Where?" he asked.**

**"We went to dinner." Cass replied, as she put her hands on her hips and stared defiantly at the two men if front of her, daring them to step out of line with their questioning.**

**Dick shuffled uncomfortably, he desperately wanted to know more about why Cass would be on a date with the flirtatious Archer who had a serious reputation as a womanizer, but the look on Cass's face made him bite back the questions that came to him. He would fire those questions at Roy when he found him, and the red head had better have some damned good answers lined up.**

**"How long since Harper left you?" Bruce asked.**

**Cass noticed the change in Bruce's voice instantly, no longer Bruce but the Batman, she shrugged, "Couple of hours." she replied.**

**"He say where he was going?" Dick chimed in.**

**"Home...Why are you asking?" Cass asked.**

**Dick began to recap the details of what Bruce had just told him, he watched as Cass's defiant facade began to crumble. The challenging look on her face melted away to become one of concern as the story unfolded, as Dick got to the end of the story, she walked silently past him and disappeared to change into her Batgirl costume, returning minutes later.**

**She glanced impatiently back at Dick. "Get your mask on..we have work to do." she ordered.**

**Bruce failed to completely supress the smile that played on the corners of his mouth as Dick jumped and quickly replaced his mask, hurrying to join the dark clad figure as she walked off. Cass was a strong young woman, and neither Tim, Dick nor Bruce would dare challenge her when she had the look she now had on her face... That same thought made the smile fade from his lips...Harper would need to explain why Cass seemed to have developed a sudden concerne for his welfare, he thought as he turned towards the huge computer that stood behind him.**

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**Batgirl followed the path she thought Roy was most likely to follow back from the restaurant they had visited earlier that night, it was only a few blocks from where Roy lived and she remembered he had relished the idea of the brisk walk home. It was snowing heavily now, and she knew that the likelihood of him being on the streets at the moment was poor, he would have most probably escaped the cold winter night by taking refuge one of the clubs that were scattered between his apartment and the restaurant, perhaps planning to wait inside until the snow cleared a little. Dick had chosen to check those venues out and had made a hurried dash back to change into civilian clothing before beginning his part of the search.**

**Cass shivered, it was almost Christmas and colorful decorations were everywhere to be seen, the light blanket of snow that now lined the streets added to the festive atmosphere that permeated the city. Cass was looking forward to having Roy and Lian join them all at the manor for the celebrations this year...She paused in her srutiny of the sidewalk below, thinking sadly of the little girl, she would be confused..she adored her father and to take her away from him was too cruel to think about.**

**She realized that she was almost to Roy's apartment and there had been no sign of the Archer so far, she knew that it was unlikely there would be...He would probably be home soon, having been unaware that they where looking for him utill he arrive there. They had tried his cell phone repeatedly, but it just went through to his messages, it was no doubt flat as always..Roy had a habit of forgetting to charge it..a habit she feared would catch up with him eventually when he needed it in an emergency...it was just as well Dick had made sure he had a communicator built into the gloves of his Arsenal costume.**

**She swung across to the next building and moved quickly to the front, checking the street below before following the edge of the building to the side that boarded the alley below. A light blanket of snow covered almost everything, but even from the top of the building Cass could make out the shape of a body huddled against the wall a the back of the alley. She scrambled down a nearby fire escape and approached the figure cautiously at first...until she caught a glimpse of fiery red hair that made her blood run cold.**

**She ran to him, not knowing what to expect..she crouched down beside him quickly checking his pulse..It was weak but it was there..She pulled him into her arms and began checking for other signs of injury as she called her location into her communicator, and requested the backup she needed. "Hold on...helps coming." she whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her, but finding the words somehow reassuring as she rubbed rapidly at his arms and shoulders, trying get bring some warmth to his body that was blue with cold...trying to keep herself moving...doing anything to take her mind of the deep burning ache that fear of losing him had formed in her heart...a feeling that worried and confused her.**

**end 2**


	3. Chapter 3

****

Part 3

Alfred checked the young mans vital signs once more, relieved that after a difficult night they appeared to have stabilized and he now appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

Cass watched him worriedly from a chair beside the bed...her large brown eyes radiating the concern she so clearly felt. Alfred noted her face was pale with tiredness and he doubted she had slept since Roy had been found and brought here. The elderly butler smiled reassuringly at her.."The young sir has given us all quite a fright, but the worst appears to be over. The sedative Doctor Tompkins has given him has done it's job and he appears to be sleeping soundly." he paused for a brief moment before adding. "May I suggest that you also retire for a short while..."

"I want to be here when he wakes again." Cass said, cutting the rest of Alfreds words off. Roy had woken a number of times since he had been found, usually thrashing wildly in the grip of some nightmare brought on by a combination of the drug he had been given and the shock of the way he received it.

"I will call you the moment he wakes Miss Cassandra...And he will not be alone, I or someone else shall be here the entire time." Alfred said gently.

"And it's not going to do either of you any good if you end up dropping from exhaustion."

Cass turned to look at Dinah who walked to the bed and reached out to gently brush a stray lock of red hair from Roy's face before laying her hand on his shoulder. She had been out of town on a case when this had happened...she had rushed back as soon as she was able to..Roy was like family to her, she had known the young man since he was a child, and he was the closest thing she had to a son. She was relieved that Roy was going to be okay..physically at least, he still had no idea about the events of the night he was attacked and she knew he would be in for a difficult time emotionally when he was told what had transpired. They had brought him here to the infirmary in the Bat cave rather than to a hospital. Bruce had immediately suspected that this attack had been planned in order to lend weight to the other evidence that had been planted in Roy's apartment, and they had needed to ensure that no one else found out about the drugs that had been in Roy's system. While there was no doubt in Dinah's mind that Roy didn't do this to himself, the police may not have been so ready to believe that fact...Roy's reputation had been damaged enough..and whoever had masterminded this set up had known just how to hit Roy the hardest, having Lian taken from his custody was the one way to hurt the Archer most intensely.

Dinah pulled a chair up next to Cass and sat down as Alfred excused himself to go upstairs.

"Do you need to talk?" Dinah asked the young woman gently. Bruce had asked her to talk to Cass, to see if she could get her to open up...It was obvious there was more between Cass and Roy than any of them had suspected. Bruce was uncomfortable with the feelings Cass no doubt had for Roy..He was worried that despite Cass's strength, she was also naive and vulnerable when it came to 'matters of the heart' and he had been concerned about the possibility that, given Roy's reputation, Cass may be facing heartache in the future.

Cass shook her head at the question and looked down at her hands.

Dinah decided to risk a more direct approach. "Cass...honey, is there more than just friendship between you and Roy?"

"No." Cass replied firmly, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Dinah said nothing for a moment...watching the uncomfortable body language Cass was displaying. It was unusual for Cass to show discomfort, she was normally so strong and determined. There was definitely more to this than there appeared...but Cass had never lied to her and if Cass said there wasn't anything between her and Roy than Dinah believed there wasn't. She glanced at Cass, "Would you like there to be more?" she asked.

Cass stayed silent, but nodded.

Dinah smiled. "I thought that might be the case...Have you told him that?"

Cass nodded again. "He said it can't happen...Too many people close to him would be upset...He said I was too good for him and he didn't want me to get hurt...I told him I didn't care what anyone else thought, but he said he did..He said he'd let people down too many times in his past to ever risk doing anything that would hurt them again."

Dinah sighed and leaned back in the chair...It was typical Roy..he held his past against himself far more than others did...But without knowing what Roy's feelings for Cass were, it was difficult to give the young woman advice on the situation...Cass obviously had deep feelings for Roy...and Dinah knew that Roy felt something for Cass...she remembered catching him watching Cass only a week or so ago, when Dinah had caught his eye he had looked away sheepishly, looking for all the world like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar..But she also knew Roy admired women...he enjoyed being with women and he had been with more than his fair share...The fact that Roy hadn't acted on any feelings he may have, may have meant that any feelings he did have weren't any deeper than he had felt for the numerous other women he had encountered in his life. And now he knew Cass's feelings for him ran deeper than that he may have moved to make her understand that nothing would happen between them...he had tried to avoid her getting hurt...And if that was the case than Dinah couldn't very well encourage Cass to pursue what she felt.

"Sometimes it takes time for these things to develop..You never know what the future might hold...But for now Roy's going to need a lot of help to deal with things once we tell him what's happened to Lian...We'll all need to be there for him until we get this whole mess sorted out and we get that precious little girl back where she belongs, and to do that you need to go and get some rest." she finally said.

Cass nodded...Dinah was right Roy would need support when he found out about Lian."Will you stay here with him?" she asked quietly.

"I won't be going anywhere...and I'll call you the moment he wakes up." Dinah replied relieved when Cass nodded and stood up.

Cass walked over to Roy's bed, reaching out to lay her hand on his. Taking one last look to make sure he was okay, she turned and left.

Dinah watched her leave, then turned back to look at the sleeping red head. "Ahh Boyo...You've got another one crushing on you...Though I think this crush is a whole lot more serious than most." she murmured.

**end 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**part 4**

Roy took the news of Lian's being taken into care just the way Dinah had suspected he would...He'd hardly been awake for five minutes when he asked where the little girl was, and despite attempts to distract him or change the subject, they had eventually had to tell him the story.

He had remained silent at first...considering the words Bruce had said, a complex array of emotions flittering across his face...Then he had erupted into motion, throwing the blankets off and stumbling unsteadily out of bed, shrugging off the hand Bruce offered to steady him, and launching into a barrage of agitated questions that graduated into abuse when he didn't get the answers he had hoped for. Bruce had resorted to using his firmest 'bat voice' in order to gain some control of the Archer...It was a voice that would normally have quieted Roy instantly... Dinah suspected Roy still had some residual childhood fear and awe of Bruce...But it had no affect today...perhaps it was the desperation to get to Lian, or perhaps it was the drug that still clouded his green eyes that spurred him on, but Roy turned his abuse towards Bruce, demanding to know why Bruce or Dick hadn't brought Lian home.

Bruce stood calmly and accepted the hail of verbal assault that was directed towards him. He knew the Archer wasn't thinking rationally, he was upset and angry and still withdrawing from the heroin he had been injected with, not at all a man that could be reasoned with at that moment.

When the abuse became more personal..directed at Bruce's parenting skills..Dinah had had enough, she demanded Roy sit down, or she would have to knock him down, whatever it took to calm him and have him listen to reason she would do.

Roy paused momentarily to look at Dinah...his mind still confused and his emotions in turmoil. He glared at her defiantly, his fists clenched, before he attempted to push past her, he felt Bruce's hand grip his arm to stop him.

Roy reacted to the touch as if he had been burned...Whirling around and throwing a punch, which was easily blocked by Bruce who then stepped back out of reach, unwilling to engage the marksman in a fight they both knew Roy had no chance of winning. Bruce glanced at Dinah, allowing her to make the calls in this situation. He knew how much Dinah cared for Roy and whilst he could easily step in and forcefully end the situation, his own love for Dinah held him back.

"Knock it off Kiddo!" Dinah shouted, she was just as unwilling to resort to using force on Roy as Bruce was, but as Roy took another step towards him she could see no other option.

"Roy!" Cass's voice cut through the tension in the air like a hot knife through butter.

Roy paused...the fire in his eye's that flashed so angrily only seconds before melted away...replaced with a look of confusion. He turned to look at Cass, and Dinah could see the tension in his body begin to ease as he stared at her.."Cass...I.." the adrenaline that flowed through his body began to dissipate and he began to tremble uncontrollably. He looked back at Bruce. "I..I'm sorry.." he murmured as the other man stepped in to grab his arm and guide him to sit in a nearby chair.

Cass moved in to stand beside him, leaning down to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"They took her Cass...They took my Little Girl." he whispered, his voice shaking with exhaustion and emotion.

Cass knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in hers and looking up at him, her deep brown eyes locking with his green ones. "I know...but we'll get her back Roy...I promise, we'll get her back."

He watched her closely for a moment, reading the honesty in her eyes...allowing her words to wash over him, to warm him and reassure him. He closed his eyes and nodded as Cass stood up and ran her hand across his still trembling shoulders..He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head against her...taking comfort from her closeness as she held him tightly and stooped to lay her cheek against his head.

Dinah watched Roy's reaction to Cass's closeness...any thoughts that whatever Roy was feeling for Cass was any less intense than what the young woman felt for him was now banished from her mind...Now she knew exactly what advice to give to Cass, she thought to herself as she glanced towards Bruce who had stepped back to allow Roy and Cass some space. Bruce's eyes locked briefly with Dinah's, and he nodded..both of them silently agreeing that what was happening to the two young people in front of them was not something anyone should stand in the way of.

end 4


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

**Roy sat on one of the hard chairs that lined the wall of the small waiting room he had been shown into. He coughed, and ran has hand nervously through his hair as he waited anxiously for the door to the room to open.**

**Cass reach out and took his other hand in hers as she sat beside him, his palm was clammy and warm and trembled slightly...Cass wasn't sure if it was from nervousness or the cold he had developed after laying in the snow for so long before he was found. "You ok?" she whispered.**

**He nodded, his eyes still on the door. "I just wish they'd hurr..." his voice trailed of and he stood up quickly as the door opened and a formally dressed woman walked in. Roys gaze immediately went to the little girl who held the womans hand.**

**"DADDY!" Lian cried as she wriggled her hand out of the womans grasp and ran to him, launching herself into his arms as he scooped her up and hugged her to him.**

**Roy buried his face into her neck, relishing the feel of her hair against his face...her little body held safely in his arm. "I missed you baby girl. " he whispered as he held her close.**

**Lian pulled back to look at him, hearing the soft break to his voice. She watched his eyes intently, reading the distress that was in them..She knew her father so well..she knew he was upset. "It's ok Daddy...I'm here now." she soothed, as she hugged him again.**

**"I can only give you half an hour with her Mister Harper...As we've already explained" the formally dressed woman said as she took a seat opposite.**

**Roy nodded, half an hour was better than nothing...At first the case worker had been reluctant to even allow that, but she had reluctantly conceded when it was agreed that the visit would be fully supervised. He sat down on the chair still holding Lian and leaned back, reaching up to stroke her hair as the little girl leaned against his chest. "Is everything ok sweetheart...are they looking after you?" he asked softly.**

**Lian nodded against his chest..."Dana is nice...and there are other kids there too...But I miss you Daddy." The little girl replied, she had been placed with a temporary foster family... Greg and Dana Hiscox had worked hard to see that she felt welcomed. It was unusual for children to be placed so quickly into a foster home, they usually spent time in a group home first..But Lian had plenty of people pulling strings for her behind the scenes and neither she nor Roy knew of the influence a certain influential millionaire had in Lian's being placed in the home of one of the better foster families on the agencies books.**

**"We're all working really hard to get you back home as soon as we can sweetheart." Roy whispered.**

**"Why can't I go home with you today?" Lian asked puzzled, she knew something was happening that prevented her going home to Roy...At first she had thought her father had gone away on a case and these people had to look after her, though she had been a bit frightened when the police came to their apartment, but her nanny Debbie had reassured her that she would be safe and her Dad would explain what was happening as soon as he could...but now she sensed there was more to it, Dana had explained carefully that she wouldn't be going home with her father today...she had simply said her Dad couldn't look after her at the moment..and that puzzled the little girl.**

**Roy kissed the top of her head and swallowed nervously. "Sweetheart, Daddy has some things he has to take care of before you can come back home...But I'm working on it baby...so is Aunty Dinah and Uncle Bruce and everyone else who loves you."**

**Watching his eyes carefully, Lian came to a childish understanding of the situation. "Oh...So this must be a really big case if you all have to work together." she said...No wonder she couldn't go home just yet..she just had to wait patiently until they all solved whatever case they were working on. She shrugged, she understood how important her fathers work was. "It's ok Daddy, I understand." she said knowingly.**

**Roy manage a faint smile and turned his head away from her as he coughed.**

**"Are you sick Daddy. " Lian asked concerned.**

**"Just a cold baby..I'm okay...nothing for you to worry about."**

**Lian looked at Cass and rolled her eyes. "Sometimes he just doesn't look after himself." she said in the most grown up, exasperated voice she could muster.**

**Cass chuckled, linking her arm around one of Roy's and giving it a squeeze.."It's just as well he normally has you to keep him in line." she said.**

**Lian smiled broadly. "Aunty Dinah said that's my job...to look after Daddy." she paused for a moment, watching Cass closely. "You hafta look after him while he's working...cause I can't...and he's not very good at looking after himself." she said.**

**"Don't you worry honey..your Daddy's got lots of people looking out for him while your away." Cass replied.**

**Lian nodded, satisfied with Cass's reply.**

**The rest of the time flew by and before Roy knew it the time was up and he was watching his little girl walk out the door.**

**"I love you Daddy." she called happily.**

**"I love you too Etai yazi...You're my..."**

**"I know." Lian cut in. "I'm you're heart." she said cheerfully as she disappeared out the door.**

**Cass watched the emotions play across Roy's face..Yes Lian was his heart and it was clear from his expression that without his little girl in his life...that heart was breaking. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist...feeling him tense at first..then relax back into her touch returning the hug.**

**He found some comfort in warm embrace...not sure if he should respond, not wanting her to take his returning her embrace as a sign that there was more between them than he could allow. Despite all that had happened over the last few days, despite the support she had given him, he couldn't allow her to feel there was hope for a future between them..He knew Bruce...and Dick would want the best for Cass, and he wasn't the best...in fact he was probably one of the worst, he wouldn't betray Dicks trust...he wouldn't let his friend down like that. He stepped away from the embrace "Lets go." he murmured as he walked out of the room.**

**end 5**


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

**Dale Chadwhick stirred uncomfortably in his bed...his shoulder ached from the deep wound that had barely begun to heal, but that wasn't the cause of his restlessness tonight. A sense of foreboding had settled over him...a feeling of being watched. He snapped his eyes open and looked wildly around the darkened room, his gaze settling on a shadow near the bedroom window. The shadow moved and came towards him..as he watched the dark shape began to materialize into a fearsome creature...dressed in black with eye's that glowed white.**

**The figure reached towards him and Chadwhick scuttled back until he was blocked from further retreat by the head board behind him...His eye's widened in horror and a scream died in his throat as a gloved hand was wrapped firmly around his neck and the figure leaned over him threateningly.**

**"We can do this the easy way...or we can do this the painful way." Batman growled.**

**Chadwhick nodded...he didn't know what other response to make.."The..the easy way..the easy way." he blurted.**

**"I want a name...And I want a reason." **

**"Anything..anything, I'll tell you anything you want..Pl..please don't hurt me." the terrified thug begged.**

**Batman curled the corner of his lip up in disgust, it never ceased to amaze him how readily scum like this begged for mercy when they showed their victims none. "Who framed Harper?" He snarled.**

**"Buxton...It was Buxton.' Chadwhick blurted.**

**"Raymond Buxton?"**

**Chadwhick nodded.**

**Batman remembered the name from the case files Roy had given him...Buxton was a major player in a crime syndicate that Arsenal had managed to put out of operation whilst he had been living in New York.**

**"Buxton's doing time." Batman said.**

**"He organized it from inside..he...he wanted to take Harper out for good...as payback. But the guy was a cape or sumthin...Buxton's crooked but he aint stupid, he knew if he took Harper down half the supers this side of the world would be knocking on his door..He..he found out Harper had a history with junk..I..I" Chadwhick trembled and swallowed. "Shit I needed the money..we didn't hafta kill him or nothin..Buxton figured if he couldn't take the guy down permanent like..he'd take down his rep...all you super's...well, your reps are important...Buxton figured he could hurt him some that way."**

**Batman stood up.. he released the thugs neck and pulled out a set of handcuffs. He had heard what he needed to. "You will tell the police everything you just told me. " he said, his voice low and intimidating as he cuffed the man to the bars of the bed head.**

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**Batman returned to the cave in the early hours of the morning..he had decided to keep the nights events to himself, the emotional roller coaster ride Roy had been on over the last four days warranted caution, until Chadwhick had fully confessed to the police there was little point in raising the archers hopes in case Chadwhick backed out at the last minute..it wasn't a high likelihood but it could happen. As he stepped out of the Batmobile and headed towards the shower to change he could hear the rhythmic slapping sound of the punching bag in the gym area being ruthlessly hammered. A pause in the sound followed by a fit of coughing told him instantly who it was that had deemed three o'clock in the morning as an ideal time for a workout.**

**Dinah had insisted Roy stay at the manor until he had recovered fully and Bruce had readily agreed, in fact he had suggested that it would be better if the Archer stayed until Lian was returned to his custody...Bruce knew the young man had a tendency towards impulsiveness and Dick had expressed concern that there was a possibility that Roy could, in a fit of such impulsivity, take matters into his own hands, if that were to occur the possibility for the red head getting himself into an even greater fix was high. Cass had also moved back temporarily, under the guise of providing emotional support for Roy...but Bruce knew there was more to her motives than that...he also knew Roy had returned to keeping her at arms length.**

**He pulled back the cowl of his costume and stood quietly watching the marksman at work. Roy's back was to Bruce and he had obviously not heard him arrive. From the sweat drenched clothes and hair, Roy had obviously been going hard at it for some time.**

**"Trouble sleeping?" Bruce finally asked.**

**Roy jumped at the unexpected voice, and turned to face Bruce. "Uh...Yeah I get that way sometimes." he replied, wiping the sweat of his brow and coughing again. He looked at Bruce and raked his fingers through his hair, scattering droplets of sweat from the fiery red strands as he did so. "You know..I...I didn't really apologize properly for the other morning when I lost my cool...I'm sorry Bruce, I had no right to turn on you the way I did." he said.**

**Bruce nodded, allowing a slight smile to play on the corners of his mouth. "I think I can be forgiving of that particular incident...given the circumstances at the time." he said. "Though I don't know that Dinah will be as forgiving if you develop pneumonia from standing around in sweat drenched clothing." he added.**

**Roy nodded, "I'm heading back up now...I'll shower and change. " he said as he walked past Bruce.**

**"Roy" Bruce called.**

**Roy paused and turn back, he waited patiently for Bruce to continue.**

**"I just wanted to have a quick word with you about Cass." Bruce said..amused at the anxious look that flitted across Roy's face.**

**"I haven't touched her Bruce I swear." Roy blurted holding his hand out in front of him, his palms towards Bruce in a gesture of denial.**

**Bruce cocked an eyebrow at the nervous Archer, not allowing the amusement he felt at Roy's obvious discomfort to show on his face. "I never said you did." he replied.**

**Roy relaxed slightly. "I won't go near her..well not in that way anyhow...You can trust me on that...She's out of bounds as far as I'm concerned." he said sincerely.**

**Bruce watched the red head carefully, enjoying watching him squirm beneath his gaze. "May I ask why?" he asked.**

**"Why?...Um..because." Roy frowned and shrugged his shoulders, wondering what sort of trick question that was.**

**"Is there something you don't like about Cass?" Bruce asked, relishing the nervous look on Roy's face as the Archer desperately tried to figure out if Bruce was laying some kind of trap for him.**

**"Don't like?...About Cass?...No of course there's not."**

**"Than what's the problem then."**

**"The problem?" Roy repeated.**

**Bruce nodded, looking expectantly at the Archer for an answer.**

**"There's no problem Bruce...Well I guess..." Roy paused, obviously he had to lay things down straight so Bruce realized that Roy had no intention of stepping across the line here."Look Bruce...I know what Cass means to you...and to Dick. There's no way I'd do anything to betray either of your trust."**

**Bruce nodded again. "I appreciate that Roy...Now...you do realize that Cass has developed a certain..interest, in you." Bruce asked, watching in amusement as Roy's cheeks flushed red.**

**Roy nodded. "I know..I just don't know what to do about it." he replied.**

**"Dinah believes you might actually return Cass's 'interest'." **

**Roy visibly squirmed under Bruce's scrutiny..trust Dinah to mention something..and to Bruce of all people. He launched into a fit of coughing...taking a few moments to gain control before replying. "I'm not gonna lie to you Bruce..If Cass was anyone else but part of your family there'd be no way I wouldn't want to pursue what I feel for her...Cass is..well she's amazing." he finished lamely.**

**Bruce nodded "Yes she is...And I never want to see her hurt by any man." he said, he watched as Roy fidgeted in front of him, and finally taking some pity on the Archer he added. "Go and get some sleep."**

**Relieved to be released from the uncomfortable conversation Roy replied. "Right..I'll um..I'll see you in the morning then."**

**"In the morning." Bruce agreed "And Roy..."**

**"Yeah."**

**"Talk to Cass."**

**Roy frowned. "About what?"**

**"Your not that dense Harper..Stop playing games with the girl, and get your act together...Talk to her." Bruce said, this time allowing a small smile.**

**Roy returned the smile, finally figuring out what Bruce was saying. "I will." he said as he turned to go.**

**"Harper...You hurt her and my no killing rule will be waved." Bruce's called, as the Archer disappeared up the stairs towards the manor above.**

**end 6**


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

**Roy stood staring out of the window, it had stopped snowing and a thick carpet of the soft white flakes covered the courtyard, he could imagine Lians squeals of delight as she ran out to play, rugged up in her winter clothes eager to begin tossing snowballs at him. The small smile that had appeared on his lips dropped as he thought of someone else sharing that joy...someone else avoiding the snowballs and making snow creatures with her...no typical snow man would do for Lian, the creatures they created were limited only by the little girls vivid imagination.**

**"Beautiful day isn't it."**

**Roy looked at Dick as he entered the room, and turned back to look out the window as the other man moved to stand beside him. He nodded in answer and continued staring at the scene outside.**

**"I talked to Cass." Dick said.**

**Roy rolled his eyes, and sighed deeply as he shook his head. "Not you too." he said, trying to keep the annoyance he suddenly felt out of his tone.**

**"Excuse me?"**

**Roy frowned. "Bruce bailed me up in the gym this morning..wanted to talk to me about Cass as well." he said.**

**"Yeah..he told me." Dick replied.**

**"He did?"**

**"He told me you were going to talk to Cass."**

**Roy nodded.**

**"Well?"**

**"Well what?"**

**"Well I talked to Cass...and although I didn't ask, it was pretty obvious you haven't talked to her yet." Dick said.**

**"Is that a problem?"**

**"Seeing as you've had all day, and Dinah and Alfred have made themselves scarce so you'd have plenty of opportunity to do so, maybe it is."**

**Roy allowed himself a half hearted chuckle, he'd thought that may have been why Dinah had Alfred drive her in to the city this morning, Dinah normally would have simply driven he self in, so he'd known straight away he was being set up.**

**Dick waited for a reply, and when it was obvious that none was forthcoming he added. "And to think you used to be called Speedy."**

**Roy gave another chuckle. "Not in this case buddy...not in this case."**

**"Ok I'll play...Lets see...Cass obviously like's you...you obviously like her...Bruce has indicated he won't stand in your way, Dinah thinks you two would make a great pair..." Dick paused, crossing his arms across his chest and turning to lean against the wall near the window. "Nope..I don't see a problem here." he finished.**

**Roy cocked one eyebrow and looked at his friend. "You don't?...Shit Grayson you must be more fucked in the head that I thought." he replied.**

**This time Dick raised his eyebrow. "How so?" he asked.**

**"Come off it shortpants...you know me, you of all people should realize how much I can stuff things up...not just for me, but for those around me. Damn it man..Cass is only twenty one...I pretty much get the feeling that I'm the first guy she's shown an interest in...Shit if I was in your shoes, I'd be warning me away, not encouraging it..Hell you know me better than anyone one..There's no way I'd be any good for her, she deserves better..."**

**"Don't you think she should make that decision?..And yes I know you, I know the bad stuff and the good stuff..and the good stuff far out ways the bad. I've never known you to ever really hurt a womans feelings...god knows you've had plenty of opportunity to do so, I have complete confidence that you'd never knowingly hurt Cass." Dick stopped as he watched Roy vigorously shaking his head, obviously not agreeing with Dicks veiw of things, he sighed, realizing he wasn't getting anywhere with the conversation..."Just think about what I've said Roy...Your the only one who's standing in the way of this...I've seen the way you look at her..I know your feeling what she's feeling...think about that, and ask yourself if she isn't being hurt already by your refusing to acknowledge that."**

**Roy continued to stare contemplatively out the window, but Dick could see by his expression that at least some of what was said was hitting home.**

**"Anyway...that's not all I came to talk about...you have a hearing to attend on Thursday."**

**"Pardon?"**

**"Bruce tracked down one of the thugs that took you down..The idiot left your pocket knife in the alley with plenty of blood on it to run a DNA test off..He's fessed up and given names. So your going to have to front up to a hearing about Lian's custody to get the formalities over and get her back.**

**"YES!..." Roy punched the air and pulled Dick into a bear hug, slapping his back excitedly. His little girl was coming home for Christmas..the world was a happy place again, things were definitely looking up.**

**"Ok..ok." Dick laughed. "Now go tell Cass...She'll want to know." he said.**

**Roy nodded and headed quickly towards the door.**

**"And Roy..." Dick waited till his friend looked back at him. "Remember what we talked about." he added, before waving the Archer away dismissively and turning to look back out the window.**

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**Roy found Cass in her room, the door was opened and he peered around the corner, smiling. "Can I come in?" he asked.**

**Cass stood up and faced him, seeing the smile lighting up his face, she returned it with one of her own..."Tell me?" she asked, knowing he was bursting to tell her whatever had put that grin on his face.**

**Roy strode quickly towards her, throwing his arms around her waist, lifting her and spinning her around happily.."She's coming home." he said.**

**Cass's own grin increased. "Lian?...Lian's coming home?" she asked excitedly.**

**Roy nodded. "Thursday..I have a hearing to attend..but it's over..She'll be back where she belongs in plenty of time for Christmas." he said looking down on her, his arms still wrapped around her waist, her hands resting on his chest between them.**

**Cass, threw her arms from his chest to his shoulders and pulled him into a hug...She had always had difficulty showing emotion so easily, but it seemed the most natural thing in the world to be standing there with her arms around this man.**

**Roy leaned into the embrace, his heart soaring with the happiness he felt..He raised his head and looked into her eyes..feeling her hands slide up to the rest on the back of his neck...A mixture of emotions, played across his face, he was aware of her eye's on his..drawing him closer, pushing all thought from his mind as feelings took over and he lowered his mouth to hers.**

**Cass responded eagerly to the kiss, closing her eyes and leaning into it... sensations she had never felt before crept over her...a gentle warmth spread throughout her body..her skin tingling as his hands moved across her back pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. **

**Roy rode the wave of feelings that bombarded his body as he savored her mouth against his, her body pressed against his own threatening to make him lose control...He moaned slightly as his mind kicked back into life..pushing her away from him. "No!...this isn't right." he said, stepping back further and looking at the ground .."I'm sorry Cass..I can't do this."he added.**

**Cass stood watching him for a moment, trying to sort through the emotions that bombarded her..emotions she was unfamiliar with. "Why?" she finally asked huskily.**

**He looked up at her. "I...Cass I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you..I didn't mean for that to happen...I'm sorry." he repeated and unable to watch the confusion that played across her face, he turned on his heel and left the room, feeling like the lowest form of pond scum imaginable.**

**end 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

**Cass had had enough...All through her patrol that night she had been thinking about Roy's reaction that afternoon...about his words before he had left her room. Now that she had finally been able to climb into bed, the thoughts still played on her mind, refusing to allow sleep to come. She had no doubt that Roy felt something for her, the kiss they shared that afternoon had confirmed that in her mind. **

**His previous excuse of not wanting to hurt or upset those he loved and respected by pursuing a relationship with her, no longer applied...Dinah had told her that both Bruce and Dick had indicated to Roy that they wouldn't stand in their way. She paused in her thoughts for a moment, sighing deeply...there was no way she could sleep with these thoughts running through her head...Suddenly coming to a decision she threw the blankets off, stood up, and headed out of her room...If she couldn't sleep with these unresolved questions on her mind, then Roy darned well wasn't going to either...they would have to sort this out once and for all she thought as she approached Roy's bedroom door...Not bothering to knock she silently opened it and walked inside.**

**She walked quietly over to his bed...even in the darkened room she could make out his features, peaceful in his sleep. She smiled to herself, resisting the temptation to reach out and stroke his hair. After a moment a thought came to her, she stepped closer to the bed...and plonked down hard on the edge of it, suppressing a giggle as he bounced into the air, taking wicked delight as his arms flailed in fright and he cursed, his eyes flying open and widening in alarm, before he registered who it was that had woken him...he stared at her, blinking rapidly as he struggled to get his sleep addled mind to function.**

**"Cass!...What the hell?" he stammered.**

**"We need to talk." Cass said as she sat crossed legged on the bed looking down at him.**

**Roy rubbed his eye's. "What?...Now?" he asked.**

**"Yes now...What else would I have woken you for?" Cass replied.**

**Roy propped himself up on his elbow to look at her, resisting the urge to answer with the first thought that came to his mind. He watched her silently for a moment, his heart quickening slightly as his eyes wandered over her silhouetted form, before he glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table."Shit Cass it's only four in the morning...Couldn't this have waited?"**

**"No"**

**Roy sighed, this was going to happen whether he like it or not, he pretty well knew what it was Cass wanted to talk about. "Okay Cass...shoot." he said finally.**

**Cass got straight to the point. "We need to discuss what happened this afternoon." she said.**

**That was exactly what Roy had thought she had wanted to talk about, he knew he owed her more of an explanation than he had given her so far. "That was a mistake..I'm sorry Cass..I lost control of myself." he said.**

**"I don't want you to be sorry..and it sure didn't feel like a mistake to me." Cass replied, watching his eyes, but not quite able to read his expression in the darkened room. She thought briefly about turning the light on, but dismissed the idea...Roy might feel less exposed..less guarded if he felt she couldn't see him clearly.**

**"I...Look Cass, you're only twenty one..there are heaps of guys out there that would kill to have you show interest in them." Roy said..knowing it was a lame thing to say as the words left his mouth.**

**"I don't want any of those guy's, I want you." Cass said pointedly.**

**Roy stayed silent for a moment, the directness of her reply unnerving him a little. "I'm not good for you Cass." he replied softly.**

**Cass could hear hurt in the tone of his voice, and she reached over to put her hand on his arm. "Why Roy?...Tell me why?...I know you're feeling what I'm feeling...So tell me why?".**

**Roy rolled back over onto his back and draped his arm across his eyes. "Cass it's not about feelings...it's about whats right and wrong. All my life I barreled along allowing my feelings to take control, and as a result I've gone from one screw up to another...leaving a trial of hurt and disappointment for people who cared about me...I come with baggage Cass, I lot of it...You don't need that, you don't need me fucking up your life like I have my own...I won't do that to you." he kept his arm over his eyes...but he could feel her watching him as he waited for her to reply.**

**"We all come with baggage Roy...At least you weren't raised by an assassin." Cass replied.**

**Roy knew about Cass's past...he knew her father had raised Cass to kill, to be one of the premier assassins in the world...he had devoted her entire early life to that goal..even having her kill a man at just eight years old...Cass had fled and was eventually found by Batman. Roy couldn't begin to imagine the mentality of a man that would put his child through that...Though he couldn't help thinking that a similar fate could have awaited his own daughter had he not taken her away from her mother... He moved his arm away from his eyes and looked at her. "No I wasn't...I just slept with one and had a kid with her...You had no choice in the way that bastard raised you Cass...I've always had choices and I've usually picked the wrong one. I've let people down in the past Cass..and I care about you too much to risk letting you down as well." he said.**

**Cass absorbed what Roy had said...but four words leapt out at her. "_I care about you_."...He did care she knew it and he had confirmed it...Armed with that thought in mind she was more determined than ever to break down the wall he had built up. "If you don't want to let me down than why are you?" she asked...She felt him tense under the hand she had placed on his arm.."You're letting me down by underestimating me...I'm not stupid Roy, I wouldn't be going into this blind..I know about your past...but you have to realize you're not living in the past anymore, it's time you stopped dragging it around with you. Let it go Roy...you've learned from it now move on...stop letting your past destroy your future...Take a risk, sometimes in life we have to...sometimes the risk is worth it." she paused for a moment, watching his eyes, knowing she was finally getting through, "I think you and I are going to be worth the risk." she added.**

**Roy watched her silently for a moment, her words slowing crumbling the resolve he had build up...There was no rational argument he could give...there was no argument that he wanted to give...Maybe Cass was right...maybe it was time to move on from the past. He reached out and brushed her long dark hair from her face..then trailed his hand gently down her cheek, sighing deeply.**

**She took the soft touch as a sign, and moved to lay next to him, propping herself up on one elbow as she ran her hand over his chest to his shoulder, feeling his body stiffen slightly, than relax. She leaned down to place a feathery kiss testingly on his lips...feeling his arms wrap around her, his hands pulling her closer as he captured her mouth into another kiss...this time more passionate.**

**Feeling her respond Roy deepened the kiss, savoring the sweetness of her mouth, loving the feel of her body against his...She leaned against him responding more eagerly, feeling a warm flush of desire surge through her. **

**A moment later he drew away and pulled back to look in her eye's, his own feelings mirrored back at him from their deep brown depths. "One step at a time." he whispered..his voice husky as he pulled her gently into his arms...Feeling warmth and contentment flow over him as she nestled against him her head on his chest.**

**Cass nodded...knowing he needed to be sure..She lay still listening to the beat of his heart, feeling safe and secure in his arms...feeling she was where she belonged. She wasn't sure if she had ever truly felt that way before. That feeling made her certain this was right and she knew Roy would come to realize that as well. "One step at a time." she whispered his words back to him, content for now to fall asleep in the arms of the man she already knew she loved.**

**end 8 **


	9. Chapter 9

**9Part 9**

**Roy couldn't believe the events of the last twenty four hours, the memories of it continued to play over and over again in his mind like some nightmare he couldn't break out of. He sat on a hard bunk bed leaning back against the cold brick wall behind him...the small jail cell he was locked in reinforcing the lesson he had come to learn in life...things might look up for a while, but that was just fates way of setting him up for another fall.**

**Yesterday he had fully expected to be bringing Lian home with him...That's the way things were supposed to go..however it wasn't the way they did go. Roy sighed ragidly and closed his eyes. What did happen was that his hot head and big mouth had gotten him into a whole mess of trouble again...Now he was barred from even seeing Lian, let alone taking her home.**

**He wasn't expecting the cruel twist of fate that was thrown at him. He had anticipated the fact that he had been framed to go in his favour, not go against him. They knew he was innocent of the allegations that had made them take Lian away from him in the first place..but they had decided that if it wasn't for the enemies Roy had made in his 'line of work' then none of this would have happened to begin with..They had also decided that Roy's lifestyle..the work he did, the friends he had, exposed Lian to risks that the court found unacceptable. Roy had tried to explain, he had tried to tell them that without him and without those 'friends', Lian was at far greater risk. Lian's parentage meant there was no way she could live a 'normal' life, taking her away from him meant she was far more at risk than she ever would be with Roy to keep her safe..Lian's mother Cheshire and the enemies the villainess had were the greatest dangers in the little girls life, and no normal family could protect her from that.**

**Roy's reaction to the ruling that Lian would stay in foster care and Roy would have to wait and fight for custody in court at a later date, was the reason he was sitting in this jail cell now...And his declaration that if they wouldn't return Lian to him, he would just take her, was the reason he was now prevented from going anywhere near her until future notice. Roy sighed again...Yeah he had a big mouth and he really needed to learn to keep it shut.**

**He opened his eyes at the sound of the cell door being opened and quickly stood up.**

**"C'mon Harper...Bails been posted." the officer said as he guided the red head down a corridor past the other cells and up stairs to the precinct above.**

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**Bruce glanced towards the dejected Archer who sat staring out the window of the car as they drove back to the manor, he knew there was little he could say to ease the distress the young man was feeling..Bruce wasn't good at giving reassurance at the best of times. He had hoped that by posting bail and picking Roy up in person, he would be able to show him that he was offering support...it was really the only way he could think of to do that.**

**The uncomfortable silence dragged on and eventually Bruce felt he needed to say something..anything to ease the tension in the car. "Cass wanted to come but Dinah convinced her to wait for us at home." he said.**

**Roy turned his head slowly towards Bruce, watching the older man closely for a moment. "I think it'd be better if I picked up my stuff and went back to my apartment." he said.**

**Bruce pondered the statement for a minute...Roy might think it would be better, but leaving the Marksman on his own at the moment...especially after his declaration in court yesterday that he would take Lian and disappear...meant that there was no way that he should be returning to his apartment by himself.**

**"I don't think Dinah would agree with that." Bruce said, he knew Roy respected Dinah...Dinah's opinion had always been important to the young man, Dinah wasn't quite old enough to be Roy's mother but the two of them shared a bond as close as any mother and son..**

**"Dinah doesn't get a say in this." Roy said, an angry note creeping into his tone that warned Bruce that further discussion wasn't welcome.**

**Bruce sat quietly for a moment, allowing Roy to calm down a bit before he replied. "Very well..I'll have Alfred drive you back this afternoon...but I'd like you to have someone stay with you."**

**"I don't need a freaking babysitter." Roy retorted angrily.**

**Bruce resisted the urge to snap back. "I know that you don't..But Cass will want to be with you." he said, he knew Roy would never allow anyone else to stay with him...Cass was the one person that seem to be able to reach to young man at times when no one else could.**

**"Cass'd be better off staying away from me altogether." came the reply, this time the voice was less angry and tinged with hurt and disappointment.**

**"Cass doesn't agree."**

**"Maybe you should tell her."**

**"Nobody can tell Cass anything she doesn't want to hear..If you want her told, tell her yourself." Bruce replied**

**"I did...she wouldn't listen." **

**"Then maybe you should accept that she knows what she wants and abandon the pity party you seem to be wallowing in." Bruce said, attempting to get the Archer to snap out of the depression he seemed to be slipping into.**

**Roy raised one eyebrow, and thought for a moment..before deciding Bruce was right...A change in subject was in order. "Thanks for bailing me out." he said, making and effort to sound a little happier.**

**Bruce resisted the urge to smile. "Dinah considers you family..as far as I'm concerned that makes you and Lian part of my family as well." he glanced briefly across at Roy before adding. "We'll get this whole mess sorted out...I've got my lawyers working on it as we speak..We'll get that little girl back where she belongs...you have my word on that." he said.**

**Roy looked towards the man sitting beside him, he and Bruce had never really seen eye to eye, but he had always respected Bruce, that respect had risen even higher today..Bruce had given his word and if there was one thing he knew about Bruce Wayne, if he gave his word he meant it. "Thankyou." he murmured.**

**end part **


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

**Cass finished dressing and stepped out of the bathroom, walking to the darkened room where she knew Roy would be. She and Roy had moved back to his apartment that afternoon. Dinah hadn't been in agreement with the idea of Roy leaving the manor...but she had reluctantly agreed when she realized Cass would be going with him. Roy had also developed an unexpected ally in Bruce who had taken Dinah aside and explained that if he were in Roy's position, he would want to be in his own home as well...there was something reassuring about being in a familiar environment and the reminders of Lian in the apartment, whilst they would remind Roy of how much he missed his daughter, would also provide him some comfort as well...at least that was what Bruce had felt.**

**Cass wondered if the pain of missing Lian was now far outweighing any comfort provided by being here now. As she walked into Lian's room Roy sat on the edge of the little girls bed, a stuffed pink rabbit in his hands. His posture was one of despair as he rested his elbows on his knees, his head hanging down as he stared at the toy. He didn't look up as Cass approached and sat beside him. She reached up and ran a hand over his shoulders and pulled him closer, wrapping him into an embrace as he allowed his head to rest against her shoulder. She leaned her cheek against his head, feeling the despair that flowed through him, willing him strength and feeling her own heart pain at the thought of him suffering.**

**"I miss her." he whispered, his voice close to breaking.**

**"I know...I know you do." she whispered back...what else could she say, she couldn't tell him things were okay, or that Lian would be home soon. The truth was things weren't okay, and they didn't know when Lian would be home again.**

**They sat that way for a long time, Cass allowing him time to sort through the turmoil he felt...allowing him to draw what strength he could from her closeness.**

**After a while he sighed and sat up straighter, putting the rabbit carefully back with the pile of other soft toys that were on the corner of the bed. "I want to see her Cass...I have to see her." he said desperately as he looked at her with eyes haunted with sadness and fear and the need to see his child safe.**

**"Roy..you know you can't, not just yet." she said reaching up to hold his face in her hands, her eyes locking with his in an attempt to communicate her desperate need to know that he understood.**

**"Cass I...They wouldn't have to know I was there...I could wait until she..."**

**"Roy please...promise me you'll stay away, you have to be strong Roy. You don't want to do something that could make things worse...Promise me?" she begged.**

**Roy watched her for a moment, the hurt never diminishing in his gaze. Seeing the desperation in her eyes, and knowing only one answer would satisfy her. "I promise." he whispered, looking away from her uncomfortably intense gaze.**

**Cass stood up and turned to face him, reaching for his hands she pulled, encouraging him to stand, he stood and faced her, looking confused for a moment, then seeing the look in her eyes...worry..fear..he reached out and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "I promise Cass...I'll stay away." he reassured, wishing he hadn't said the words that had put that look in her eyes, wishing desperately he could take them back.**

**Cass watched his eyes..seeing flashes of emotion flickering across them. His eyes were beautifull...green with flecks of darker emerald and sparkling patches of gold. Feeling the need to calm the hurt that sparked within them, she drew closer, reaching up to slide a hand up over his chest to his shoulder...watching fascinated when that simple touch made those eyes darken and the hurt subside a little.**

**Mesmerized by the look in her eye's, Roy slid his hand behind her neck, his thumb lightly stroking the tender flesh behind her ear..hot desire flooding his body as he felt her gently lean her head into the touch. Drawing in a ragged breath he leaned closer. "You're so beautiful." he whispered as he brushed his lips softly across hers..feeling her breathing quicken and her other hand slide up to join it's partner at the back of his neck, pulling him closer.**

**Feeling a need in her that reflected his own, Roy's free hand moved to her lower back, pulling her against him as his lips possessed hers fully, the kiss soft at first then gaining in strength as desire flared and scorched it's way through their bodies.**

**He released her, looking into her eyes...eyes like his own that were darkened with passion. "Cass I.." he started.**

**She pressed her fingers to his lips as she saw the look of indecision that flittered across his face...stifling his words...pushing the hurt and torment from his mind and heart as she pulled him back to her kissing him again. Sliding a hand down to pull his shirt up enough to snake her hand underneath it and run her fingers across the toned abdomen to his chest, feeling the tickle of the scattering of chest hairs on her palm...smiling to herself as he moaned softly and became more forceful with the kiss, pressing himself harder against her.**

**He pulled back, looking at her again...Then scooped her up into his arms, cradled firmly against his chest, she could hear the strong beat of his heart as it thumped rapidly, echoing through her body as her own heart raced in synchrony. Their worries forgotten..the remains of the wall he had built crumbling completely and forever.**

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**Cass woke to the feel of soft kisses on her face, her head rested against Roy's shoulder, warm and comforted by the heat of his body. She turned her face to look at him and smiled.**

**"Morning." he whispered, smiling back at her as he ran his fingers through her hair and allowed it to spill back down to her shoulders, "Sleep well?"**

**Cass nodded, smiling back, she reached up to trace the line of his jaw..feeling the unshaven stubble prickle her fingers. Her gaze locked with his, seeing a light in his eyes that had been missing for awhile, feeling joy at the knowledge that she had been the one that put it there. Her fingertips moved to his lower lip and he gently bit them, holding them softly between his teeth for a moment before releasing them. "I love you." she muttered, surprised at how easily the words came.**

**He watched her quietly...and she began to worry that she was pushing for more than he could give at the moment.**

**"Ditto." he said as he leaned down to kiss her lightly.**

**The sound of the doorbell broke into the moment. Roy cursed softly...resisting the urge to ignore the sound. If it was Dinah she would only worry if it wasn't answered.**

**Cass rose and stepped out of bed, pulling on a gown as Roy followed and pulled on a pair of sweat pants. **

**"Who needs an alarm clock when you have a door bell." Roy muttered, looking at the clock and noting it was only seven thirty.**

**On answering the door Roy was forced to step back quickly as the police pushed their way into his apartment.**

**"We have a warrant to search the premises Mr Harper." one said.**

**"Search?...What the hell for?." Roy stammered. "I thought we had this shit all sorted out."**

**The other officers began to search the apartment. Cass stood in the doorway of Roy's room and she instantly noticed the police were only checking rooms and cupboards..ignoring drawers and other places. They were looking for someone, not something. "Who are you looking for?" she asked.**

**"Miss ah..?"**

**"Cain...Cassandra Cain." Cass replied.**

**"Miss Cain, were you with Mr Harper the entire night?" the officer asked.**

**"What the hell is this all about!" Roy finally demanded, his voice rising.**

**Cass moved quickly to stand beside him...grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze in an effort to remind Roy to stay calm.**

**"Roy and I were here together all night." Cass replied calmly.**

**"Nothing!" one of the other officers said as they returned from the search.**

**The officer that Cass had been speaking to looked at Roy. "I regret to inform you that your daughter Lian Harper, was abducted from her bed last night...So far we've been unable to locate her, or the persons that took her." he said, softening his tone.**

**The words hit Roy like a hammer...Heat seared through his body, as the words slammed into his mind, roaring in his head. Suddenly Roy launched into motion, sprinting towards his room. **

**"Mr Harper, I need to ask you some questions." the officer called.**

**"Fuck your questions, I've gotta find my kid." Roy yelled back as he raced to get changed...His little girl was missing to hell with the questions..to hell with the rest of the world.**

**end 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

**Roy stood on the roof of his apartment building, arms crossed over his chest, staring at the distant night horizon. He had searched for more than twenty four hours non stop, scouring everywhere he could think to look...and now he was so exhausted he could barely think clearly..his head ached and he felt physically ill with the all consuming tiredness that washed over him.**

**Every possible clue had been gathered and followed through from the foster home Lian was taken from...all the evidence the police, and Batman had been able to gather lead nowhere...There was no sign of his little girl and overwhelming fear burned deeply in his heart and soul. He had come up here in the hope that the cold night air would refresh his mind and body enough for him to be able to continue going over the files he had kept of all the cases he had been involved in over the last couple of years, looking for anyone who may have reason to take his daughter...anyone who wanted revenge just as Raymond Buxton had. Bruce and Dinah had payed Buxton a visit, and it seem unlikely that this was a further attack on his part. Roy had left Cass and Dick downstairs going over the rest of the files, while he took a break. He shivered involuntarily as a chill ran over him and reached up to run a hand ragidly through his hair.**

**"You doing ok buddy." Dick's concerned voice came from behind him.**

**Roy didn't answer at first, as he continued to stare off into the distance.."Every minute..every hour that go's by makes it less likely we'll find her safe." he finally murmured, closing his eyes at the surge of fear his words brought.**

**Dick stood beside him..searching for something to say or do that could help, and knowing there wasn't anything. "None of us will stop looking until she's found...there won't be any stone unturned...no clue missed. We'll find her Roy, you need to believe that. And when we do, whoever took her will wish they never lived." he said.**

**Roy turned to look at Dick, knowing Dick meant every word he said...and Roy meant every word of what he said next."When we find them...if they've hurt her, they won't have time to wish anything...Without a seconds thought..without any regrets, I'll kill them." he said, the sheer unrestrained venom in his voice making Dicks heart beat a little quicker.**

**"Roy..." Dick started to voice his objection to Roy's words, than stopped, thinking better of it...now was not the time to try and convince the Archer of the moralities of such actions, that would only result in an argument. If that reality looked set to eventuate, than Dick would make damned sure Roy never had the opportunity to follow through on those words. "Cass is making a fresh pot of coffee...C'mon in out of the cold, I want to run a few names from the files past you." Dick said, lightening his tone in an effort to get the Archer to relax.**

**The red head turned to look down on the street below. "Five minutes...I'll be down in five minutes." he said.**

**Dick reached out a hand and placed it on his friends shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Okay buddy...five minutes and not a second more or Cass'll be up here to kick your ass." he said..the slight chuckle the comment evoked from his freind making him relax a little.**

**"She could kick my sorry ass with both her hands tied behind her back." Roy replied.**

**"She could kick both our ass's and not raise a sweat...she's a hell of a woman." Dick replied.**

**Roy glanced at Dick, a smile sparking in his eyes amongst the worry and fear. "Yeah she is isn't she." he said a slightly awed and dreamy tone in his voice.**

**Dick laughed. "She's got you buddy...She's got you hook, line and sinker."**

**Roy nodded, the smile now settling on his lips. "Not denying it pal...not any more." he looked away again. "Five minutes." he said.**

**Dick nodded and headed inside. "Five minutes." he repeated as he disappeared into the building.**

**Roy sighed, and continued to watch the street below, people coming and going, looking as if they had no worries, unaware of the turmoil he faced in his own life. His cell phone rang, and he picked it up, glancing at the screen and frowning when he didn't recognize the callers number. He flipped it open and answered it. "Harper."**

**"Hello lover." came a sultry voice that Roy recognized instantly, a voice that made him stiffen in response to it.**

**"Jade!"**

**"You haven't been looking after our daughter very well have you Roy." **

**Roy's heart beat faster, knowing now exactly who had Lian. "Where the hell is she Jade?..What have you done with her?" Roy demanded urgently.**

**"Oh don't be so melodramatic lover...She's safe with me, where she should be."**

**Roy breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. "Jade please...please can I speak to her?" he pleaded.**

**"Oh I do love it when you beg...I used to be able to have you begging so easily." Jade laughed. "You can speak to her lover...When you do as I tell you." she added more seriously.**

**"What the hell do you want from me Jade."**

**"It's not what I want it's who...You Roy, I want you." Jade replied.**

**Roy didn't reply as he stood frowning, what the hell was she up to now.**

**When he didn't say anything Jade continued. "You will tell no one of this conversation...You know I will find out if you do, you know I have sources that keep track of you, that's how I found Lian. You will go to the airport and a 'freind' of mine will meet you there, bring your passport, you'll need it...You will then board a private jet and you will be taken to a destination, then brought to me. Tell no one Roy or you will risk never seeing our daughter again!"**

**Roy's mind raced, he would be walking straight into Jades hands...It could be a trap and he may never see Lian, Jade may simply have him killed when he arrived at where ever she wanted him to go... He swallowed as he absorbed her words...no, he thought, if Jade wanted him dead she could have done that without this elaborate plan. "All right Jade..all right. I'll do it, I'll do what you want..I'm just relieved Lian is safe." he finally said.**

**"Safer than she was with you." Jade replied pointedly as she ended the call.**

**Roy contemplated the call for a moment, before heading inside and going back to his apartment.**

**Cass and Dick were sitting at the kitchen table when he walked in. Cass immediately stood up and went to the kitchen to pour him some coffee.**

**"It's okay Cass, don't worry about it...I'm really beat, can we go over these files in the morning?..I really need to hit the sack for awhile." Roy said.**

**"Of course buddy...That's not a problem." Dick replied, happy that his friend was at least going to try and get some sleep.**

**Cass walked over and hugged him, "You okay?" she asked concerned.**

**"Yeah, I'm okay...just tired is all." Roy replied as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.**

**Dick looked away from the two of them. "There is someone else in the room you know." He joked.**

**"I'd ask you to leave, but seeing as I'm too beat to try anything more I guess it doesn't matter." Roy joked half heartedly...as he stepped away from Cass and headed into the bedroom.**

**Dick noted the Archers tone, and looked at Cass, she frowned a little, she too had noticed, that while Roy appeared to joke back, his tone carried emotions that she couldn't quite pin point. "He needs to sleep." she said, presuming that was the problem.**

**Once he had closed the door, Roy immediately began to organize things, he changed and quickly packed a small bag. Grabbing his passport, he quietly opened the bedroom window and slipped silently out into the night.**

**end 11**


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

**Wen Cheng looked at the young man who lay sleeping soundly in the bed...it irritated him that Jade had chosen to bring him here. It further irritated him to know what her plans were for Roy Harper. This man had been a thorn in his side for many years. The Archer represented Jade's only weakness. "The sedative will be wearing off soon. What then Jade? How will you control him until Ly Camm arrives?" he asked, stroking his long grey beard.**

**Jade smiled and crossed the room to sit on the bed beside the sleeping man. "Ly Cam will be here soon enough. Untill then I have other means of controlling him...He will not attempt to escape, he would not dare risk leaving our daughter behind. she replied, before glancing up at the elderly man. "Now go...leave us be old man, see that things are prepared for Ly Cam's arrival."**

**Wen Cheng nodded and left the room...there was no reasoning with Jade when she had her mind made up..he hoped Roy Harper would not be her downfall, he had much to lose. He had shaped and trained Jade for many years, helping her to achieve the greatness that was to be her destiny. No!..Roy Harper would not be allowed to destroy that...If Jade's plan did not appear as if it would succeed, then he would destroy once and for all the threat which Harper represented **

**Jade watched as the old man left the room, the at the sound of a soft moan she turned to look at Roy, reaching out to stroke his hair as the Archer began to awaken.**

**Roy's head pounded, he knew from the heaviness of his limbs and the fogginess of his brain that he had been drugged. His eyes fluttered open, and he struggled to gain focus as a womans image swam into his field of vision. "Jade!" he croaked, as he struggled to sit up, holding his head in both hands when he was finally able to.**

**"Hello lover." Jade purred as she watched him struggling to overcome the drug in his system.**

**"Where's Lian?" he mumbled.**

**"What? No hello for me?" Jade laughed. "Do not worry about Lian, she is safe..I would never allow any harm to come to her."**

**"Can I see her?...Please Jade?" Roy asked desperately.**

**"There will be time for that...There is no hurry, you should take time to recover from the effects of the sedative you were given on the plane first. We can't have our daughter worrying about you now can we?" Jade said as she reached out to run her fingers over Roy's chest.**

**Roy flinched at her touch and resisted the urge to pull away.**

**Jade noticed the small action. "There was a time when you craved my touch, a time when you sought it." she said softly.**

**"That was a long time ago Jade, I was young and stupid and I made mistakes." Roy replied.**

**"So that's what I was?..A mistake...Do you regret your mistake Roy?"**

**"No...No of course I don't. If I hadn't met you I wouldn't have Lian. For that reason alone I will never regret what we shared."**

**"We shared a great love." Jade said.**

**"No Jade, we didn't...We shared lust, it wasn't love..I know what it is to love someone now, what we had wasn't love." **

**Jade watched him intensely. "Perhaps you are right...But love or lust, it was what it was...and it has made sure our futures will be forever intertwined." Jade said as she stood up.**

**"Where are you going?"**

**"I have things to attend to but I will return soon enough lover. Do not try to escape, there are no windows or exits from this room other than the door, there is a bathroom, again there are no windows.." Jade indicated a door in the room. "You will find a change of clothing there if you wish to shower. As I said do not even think about attempting to escape...Lian is not here at this house and any attempts by you to leave will mean you will never get to see her again." Jade said as she left the room.**

**Roy watched her leave, he cursed softly and flopped back on the bed, moaning as the sudden movement made his head spin. Jade knew exactly how to control him, and Roy knew better than to even assume she was bluffing. He closed his eyes "Daddy will be with you soon Etai yazi." he whispered.**

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**Jade watched as Ly Cam mixed the white powder into the juice that was to accompany the meal that had been prepared for Roy. "How long before it begins to take effect?" she asked curios.**

**"It will begin to work immediately, he will be easily controlled and confused..but the effects on his memory will take some time to reach maximum levels. As it works you can begin altering his thought patterns, training his mind gently in the direction you wish...Be warned that the mind altering effects of the drug can sometimes have undesirable consequences...he may have permanent damage to his mind and there is a possibility of death resulting over time." Ly Cam said as he placed to drink on the tray with the rest of the meal.**

**"I am not interested in the risk of damage..Only in the possibilities the drug has to offer..I want my daughter with me, and for her to be truly happy would require the presence of her father as well. I have left things to long for her to forget him if I were to simply take her and keep her with me...This method holds much promise." Jade replied as she picked up the tray and left the room.**

**Roy was sitting on the bed as Jade walked in, she had been gone for what seemed like hours and Roy had waited anxiously for her to return, as she entered the room he stood quickly. "Jade?...Can I see Lian?" he asked instantly.**

**Jade laughed. "You really do have a one tracked mind don't you?." she placed the tray on the bed side table. "Eat first, than we will arrange a time for you to see her." she said.**

**"I'm not hungry...I just want to see my daughter." Roy replied, anger beginning to creep into his voice.**

**"Hungry or not, you will eat...Then and only then will we discuss when you will see our daughter." Jade said, her voice raising to emphasize who was in control.**

**Roy stared defiantly at her for a moment...He knew he wasn't in a position to argue with the assassin, he sighed and gave in...reaching over to pick up the juice and drink some.**

**"Now that wasn't so hard was it?." Jade said, watching as he drank the rest of the liquid. "Now eat and I shall return shortly." she said as she left the room.**

**Roy felt completely powerless, Jade had complete control of the situation, and Roy knew he would be unlikely to find a way to get Lian out safely any time soon, all he could do was play Jade's game and hope an opportunity would arise. He began to eat, feeling some annoyance at the residual effects of the sedative he had been given that seemed to be returning to cloud his mind...He felt nothing but contempt for the woman who was the mother of his child, any feelings he had died long ago...and now Jade had destroyed any last elements of respect he had for her. He would get Lian away from her soon, he had to.**

**end part 12**


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 13**

**Christmas had come and gone and the new year had long ago passed without being marked by any celebration...How could she celebrate, her family had been torn apart. Without Roy and Lian in her life Dinah felt there was a huge hole...a void that would never be filled.**

**They had spent hundreds of hours searching without success, in fact Bruce still spent hours every week looking for leads and searching data bases, he hadn't given up and Dinah knew he never would. The only thing they felt sure of was that Roy had gone to be with Lian, he would never have left otherwise...and Dinah felt certain that both were still alive, that was something her heart felt very strongly. But Dinah also knew that as time went by it was becoming more and more unlikely that she would ever see them again.**

**"Dinah?"**

**Dinah looked up from the sofa she was sitting on to look at Cass. "Hi honey, I didn't know you were coming out here today." she said as she placed the cup of tea she had been drinking down on the coffee table in front of her.**

**"I wanted to talk to you." Cass replied as she sat in a nearby armchair.**

**Dinah watched the young woman for a moment and frowned. Cass's big brown eyes looked back at her and for the first time Dinah glimpsed fear and hurt in them...Cass had been so strong since Roy had disappeared, she had buried herself in her work as Batgirl and had refused to talk about Roy and Lian except to ask Bruce if there had been any further developments in the search that she wasn't aware of. They all knew Cass loved Roy, but she had built up an outer shell to protect herself...a shell to make others think she was stronger than the world around her. All they had been able to do was wait for the facade of strength to crack and when it did they would be there for her...now that crack had appeared asDinah saw tears well in the young girls eyes that she blinked firmly away, refusing to allow them to come...hanging on to that illusion of strength as hard as she could. "Sweetheart?...Are you okay?" Dinah asked quickly rising and going to sit next to Cass on the arm of the chair she was sitting on.**

**"I miss him Dinah...I've never missed anyone in my life like I miss him." Cass whispered, almost ashamed of the emotions she felt.**

**Dinah pulled the young woman into a hug and rested her cheek on Cass's head, releived that she didn't pull away.**

**"Why did he go like that Dinah?..Why did he leave without telling me, without trusting me?..He told me that he loved me, why would he tell me that and then not confide in me? It's been almost three months, what if we never find him?...What if for some reason he doesn't want to be found?"**

**Dinah listened carefully to the barrage of questions, knowing they were questions Cass had been agonizing over all this time. "If he told you that he loves you than don't ever doubt that...Roy doesn't say that lightly, in fact you would be one of the few people in his life besides Lian that he has ever said it to. Roy has a fear of rejection and admitting he loves someones brings him face to face with that fear...In fact I love him like a son and he's never even said those words to me...oh I know he loves me, but he would never say it...He trusts you Cass...he trusts you so much that he opened himself up to that fear and let you into his heart...He trusts you not to give up." she said as she continued to hold Cass comfortingly.**

**Cass listened carefully to every word Dinah had to say...The older woman knew Roy better than Roy even knew himself. They would find him, they wouldn't stop looking until they did.."I won't ever give up!" she whispered.**

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**Roy squinted slightly, trying to remember, trying to find the answers to his question...How long had he been here?. A long time he thought...He tried to think back to what his life was before, but his mind wouldn't clear the foggy images that lingered in the background. He rubbed his temples, trying to push away the headache that plagued him...the harder he tried to remember, the more his head pounded.**

**Firm but gentle hands found his shoulders and began to massage the tension he felt in them. He felt her body press against his back as she stood behind him. "Does your head still ache my love?" Jade asked as she continued to knead at the knotted muscles in his shoulders.**

**Roy nodded, relaxing into her touch. "Is Lian asleep?" he asked.**

**"Yes...I told her you would see her in the morning...She understands that you are not feeling well." Jade replied as she moved to massage his neck.**

**Roy reached back and caught her hand and turned to face her, "Why did I come here?" he asked frowning and looking at her expectantly.**

**Jade reached up and trailed her fingers gently across his brow, attempting to chase the frown line that had appeared there. "Don't you remember?...You came so we could be together, You, Lian and I...So that we could be family." She said, smiling up at him.**

**Roy looked confused..."Why weren't we together before?" he asked.**

**Stepping closer to him, she ran her hand down the side of his face to his shoulder, and slid her other hand up to rest on his chest. He had asked these same questions dozens of times in the last few months...he would have forgotten the answers in a day or two and she knew he would ask them again. Eventually he would stop asking them, and she would know she had been successful in destroying his past, and he would only remember the present...then she could cease giving him the drug that caused his confusion, and he would be the man she remembered...only this time she could mold him into the man she always knew he had the potential to be, then she would begin to shape his future...Wen Cheng had finally conceded that her plan had potential, he would begin Roy's training in the next few weeks...training him, molding him..as the old man had done with her...Together they would make an unbeatable team. "Other's kept us from each other...Enemies who had cause to want to destroy our love. But they have failed, they couldn't keep us apart any longer." she finally replied.**

**"I...I don't remember," Roy replied as he looked into her eyes.**

**Jade moved her hand and cupped his cheek gently. "Do not fret my love...We will create new memories together." she replied, sliding the hand to the back of his neck and pulling him into a slow soft kiss...She tangled her fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss as she felt his breathing quicken. Slowly her other hand began to unbutton his shirt...Then just as quickly as her passion had flared he pushed her away.**

**"No." he whispered, panting slightly. The confusion returned...he didn't know why but he could feel this wasn't right.**

**Jade sighed, he still refused to give in to their desires...Never mind, he wouldn't push her away for much longer. "Go to bed...Sleep, and we will see what the future brings." she said as she reached up again to stroke his cheek gently...he would be her's soon, she could afford to be patient.**

**end 13**


	14. Chapter 14

**Part 14.**

**"My Daddy doesn't like it here." Lian said as she held tightly to her mothers hand as they walked.**

**Jade frowned. "Why do you say that little one?" she asked.**

**"Daddy doesn't laugh anymore...Daddy used to always laugh."**

**Jade stopped walking and looked down at her daughter. "Your father has just been unwell lately...He will be well again soon and he'll be back to normal."**

**Lian looked up at her mother, her big brown eyes reflecting the doubt that she felt, her dad never laughed, he rarely smiled...he refused to answer her questions about when they would see all their friends and family again, in fact Lian had stopped asking him about them, it only seem to make him upset when he couldn't remember. Lian didn't know what had happened to her father but she knew it wasn't good, he wasn't anything like he used to be...he didn't even seem to want to spend much time with her anymore. "Daddy misses Aunty Dinah and Uncle Bruce and all our friends." Lian said sadly.**

**"No my graceful willow, your father doesn't miss them anymore...He knows they have kept you both away from me for many years...He has pushed them from his mind because he knows they only wished me harm...That is why we couldn't be together before."**

**Lian looked confused. "But Daddy said you did some bad things...He said you loved me, but that's why we couldn't be together."**

**Jade watched the little girl for a moment...she had often wondered what Roy had told Lian. "My sweet, have you seen Mommy doing any bad things since you have been here?" Jade asked.**

**"No" Lian replied.**

**"You father only believed that because the other people in your life lied to him and convinced him of such things...Now he knows the truth, he has brought you back to me...You want to be with me don't you Lian?" **

**Lian nodded, she wanted to be with her Mom, she always had. But it was hard leaving everyone she loved behind..."But I miss everyone in Gotham too." the little girl replied.**

**Jade felt pity for her daughter, as hard as it for the child to understand, it was even harder to convince her that this was where she belonged, the little girl couldn't understand why she couldn't be with Jade and Roy and see the people she had grown to love as well, they'd had many discussions similar to this one in the past few months. "I know that you miss them, but they no longer wish to see you or your father. This is your home now, this is were you belong and it is best that we no longer discuss it." she finally said, keeping her tone firm, but hating the hurt and confusion see saw flash in her daughters eyes that the words caused. "Now come, we will go and see if Wen Cheng has finished with your fathers training for today." she added, trying to take the childs mind away from the conversation.**

**They walked outside and to a courtyard, Roy and Wen Cheng were practicing some fighting techniques that Wen Cheng felt essential for Roy to learn. **

**"Enough!...It is time to finish for the day." Jade called as she watched Wen Cheng easily block a clumsy kick that Roy had aimed at him.**

**The two men paused and Wen Cheng bowed stiffly at Roy, Roy returned the bow and watched as Wen Cheng walked towards Jade.**

**"He has the grace of a three legged elephant." the elderly man said as he approached the assassin.**

**Jade laughed. "Then you have your work cut out for you old man." she replied**

**Lian approached Roy, reaching out to take his hand, she felt her heart sink as Roy looked at her and offered a brief smile that didn't reach his eyes. She knew her Mother was wrong, her Dad wasn't just sick, he was sad too...no matter what Jade told her, this wasn't where they belonged..this wasn't their home and she knew it.**

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**"I don't know how we could have missed it." Dick said as he paced back and forth.**

**"It wasn't that we missed it, it was simply that the informant wasn't willing to part with the information then." Bruce replied.**

**"This is it, you know that don't you...We know who he's with, we just need to find out where they are."**

**"It's far more than circumstance that Cheshire was in Gothan when Lian went missing, that's for certain." Bruce replied**

**"We need to tell Cass and Dinah..."**

**"Not yet, I want to find them first..." Bruce cut in, pausing for a moment as he focused on Dick's eyes. "Did Roy ever give you any indication as to whether he still had any unresolved feelings for Cheshire?" he asked.**

**Dick pondered Bruces question, realizing what the older man was asking. "Not romantically...he doesn't love her if that's what you mean, not like he does Cass. Jade is the mother of his daughter, Roy's always respected that..He's always wished she'd face the consequences of her actions and changed, but not for himself, for Lian."**

**Bruce nodded thoughtfully. "Then whatever reason he hasn't returned or alerted us to where he is, isn't within his control." he said, not mentioning the other obvious reason for Roy continued absence. Dick knew as well as he did that there was a likelihood that Roy had walked into some sort of trap and the archer may not have survived. **

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**The room was dark as Jade slipped the gown from her shoulders allowing it to fall to the floor. She lifted the covers and slipped into the bed beside Roy, her naked body tingling as her skin brushed against his, she lightly brushed her fingers through his hair as she lay propped up on he elbow watching him. She remembered when the had first met...she had been immediately attracted to him, he was one of the most handsome men she had ever met..She didn't know at the time that he had been working undercover for Checkmate...assigned to get close to her, to eventually bring about her downfall. She didn't know this until after he had left her...unbeknownst to him she had been pregnant with his child, and she had never been able to let go of the betrayal she had felt, even when he told her he had left to protect her, if he had stayed his presence would have placed her in danger...even with that knowledge she still had not been able to forgive him. She looked down at him sleeping peacefully, pushing the thought away, the twinge of hurt she had felt fading as she watched him.**

**She leaned forward and feathered a kiss on his lips, he stirred but didn't awaken as she began a slow exploration of his body, her fingertips tracing soft lines through the hair on his bare chest, and slowly, sensuously running her finger nails around his nipples, smiling as the delicate flesh hardened under her touch. She moved to slowly kiss the base of his neck, moving the gentle kisses slowly towards his chest.. one hand ran lightly over his muscular abdomen to slide her fingers gently under the waist of his sweat pants, sliding them teasingly back and forth along the band.**

**She looked up as she heard him draw in a breath, his eyes now open wide watched her...she moved back to look into them momentarily, before leaning down to kiss him again. The kiss quickly became deeper..more demanding as she felt him respond, his arms wrapping around her pulling her closer.**

**She could feel his chest heaving as his desire increased...Then he broke away, Jade expected him to pull away from her, but this time he didn't. His eyes locked with hers, sparkling with need, and passion. "Jade." he whispered her name, his voice husky from the need that consumed him...as he held her close and flipped their position, looking down at her for a moment before kissing her fervently as her arms entwined around his neck, kissing him back greedily as his hands began their own exploration...No thought of right or wrong, no thought of the past he no longer remembered, there was only now...this moment, the woman in his arms and the fire that burned in his soul.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 15**

**"Tell me where you took him?" Batman growled at the frightened man who cowered in the corner in front if him. Black Canary stood nearby as Batman interrogated the man, from where she stood it looked as though intimidated was a more appropriate word.**

**"I can't...She'll kill me!" the man replied, his voice taking on a high pitched tone as fear surged through him.**

**Batman stepped closer and the man flinched and sank to his knees. "Please...I didn't hurt him or nothing...honest."**

**"Honesty does not appear to be one of your finer characteristics...Now I'll ask again, where did you take him?" the caped vigilante asked once more, his voice low and threatening.**

**"If I tell you, I'm as good as dead...She'll hunt me down and kill me." the man answered shakily, as tears of fear began to roll down his cheeks.**

**"Oh for crying out loud!" Black Canary said, reaching down to pull a small knife out of her boot. She stomped over to the man and grabbed his hair, pulling his head back she ignored the cry of alarm the terrified man uttered as she placed the knife next to his throat. "Cheshire can kill you later or I can do it now...your choice!"**

**The man swallowed...shaking uncontrollable. He had never expected this when he took on the job...he was supposed to pick up Harper, fly him to Bangkok, dope him and take him to Cheshire, that was all. He never expected maniacs like this to check through flight plans and figure out he was piloting the only private plane out of the country that night, let alone come looking for him. The cold hard look in the eyes of the woman in front of him gave him little choice. "There's a map...I have a map. The place is right out of the way, in the country...Please..I'll give it to you if you just let me live." the man babbled, closing his eyes and swallowing again.**

**Black Canary looked at Batman, a smug look of satisfaction crossed her face and she nodded triumphantly. Dinah was sure that behind the opaque lenses of his cowl Batman was rolling his eyes at her 'this is how you do things' attitude. She moved the knife away from the mans throat. "Get it..Now!' she ordered, allowing the terrified man to move.**

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**Jade was pleased with the way things were progressing. She had been able to start reducing the dosage of the drug she had been giving Roy, and he was now only having about half the dosage he started with, as a result he appeared to be far less confused...He hadn't asked any further questions about his past...seemingly accepting her excuse that the memory lose was due to an accident he had been involved in. He appeared to have for the most part given up trying to recall his former life and had thrown himself into his new one, learning quickly the lessons Wen Cheng was teaching him. Soon she could begin the next stage of his training, then she would know if Roy could do what it takes to become an assassin himself.**

**Smiling to herself Jade thought of how much happier Lian was now Roy had begun to show more of his former personality, happily spending time with the little girl as he was now...Jade watched as Lian ran towards the ball she had kicked over to Roy...Roy put his foot on the ball to stop it rolling and Lian dived for it..erupting into raucous laughter as Roy grabbed her and tipped her upside down, before laying her on the ground and kneeling beside her tickling her enthusiastically.**

**"It is time to wash up for Dinner." Jade called, he heart warmed a little as two smiling faces turned to face her.**

**Roy stood up and Lian ran to pick up the ball before running back and leaping into his arms. Roy caught her and hugged her close as he turned to walk inside...He wished he could remember what his daughters early years were like...what she was like as a baby and a toddler, but he couldn't..he could only remember her as she was now, but the love he felt for her was strong and his heart soared at her laughter. "Time to go inside Etai yazi." he said, pausing for a moment, wondering where the nickname he had called his daughter had come from, they were words that came easily to him..but he couldn't remember why. He dismissed the thought, he'd come to realize that he could drive himself insane trying to remember things like that.**

**He approached the door and reached for Jade's hand. He was grateful he had Jade in his life, she was all he knew, all he remembered...She had explained to him about his past, who the people Lian spoke of were, who the woman was who's name came to him in his dreams each night. He was saddened by the fact that his little girl seemed to desperately miss the people who had tried so hard to destroy Jade..people who kept them apart for years. If he ever had the opportunity he would make them pay for the hurt they had caused, they would pay for the years they had lost together because of their deception...They were worthy only of his contempt.**

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**Nightwing flattened himself against the wall to one side of the door as Black Canary mirrored his actions on the other side...He knew that Batman had targeted a rear entrance, whilst Batgirl was focused on the doorway that lead into the house from a small courtyard on the other side.**

**Nightwing nodded to Black Canary, before bursting through the doorway...immediately dropping to the floor and rolling to one side before assuming a defensive stance. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Black Canary making similar moves.**

**Both heroes crept further into the house, their senses alert to the slightest movement or sound as adrenaline coursed through their bodies.**

**"If you must charge into battle with the noise of a herd of wounded buffalo, then you would be wise to look behind you."**

**The two heroes whirled around to find a small elderly man standing behind them, neither of them knowing how he had gotten there without either of them noticing.**

**"Wen Cheng" Dick exclaimed.**

**"You know him?" Black Canary asked.**

**"I haven't faced him myself, but Roy has...Don't underestimate him." Nightwing replied.**

**"Ah, I see that our mutual aquaintance has made you aware of my expertise." Wen Cheng said.**

**"Where is he?...where's Roy?" Black Canary demanded.**

**"He is no longer the man you once knew. He has changed...his future shows much promise that would never have been realized if he had remained in your world." the old man replied.**

**"What have you done to him?" Nightwing asked.**

**"Nothing he does not now appreciate...Now enough talk. You have so rudely invaded our home and you must learn the error of such actions." Wen Cheng replied as he prepared himself for the fight.**

**end 15**


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16**

**Jade laughed as she continued to point the gun at Batgirl. "Did you think it would be so easy to take back what is now mine?" she asked tauntingly.**

**Batgirl refused to answer the question, it hadn't warranted a reply anyway. She slowly circled the woman in front of her, carefully keeping her eye on the gun.**

**"He does not belong to you or your kind any more...He belongs here, with me..with our daughter." Jade continued.**

**Behind the assassin Batgirl could see a dark figure looming silently in the doorway. Batgirl spoke, more to keep Cheshire's attention focused on her than out of any desire to respond to Jade's taunts. "Where is he?".**

**"You do not need to know what does not concern you any more...He has no wish to ever return to you, he is part of my world now." Jade replied as she laughed again.**

**The laugh was cut of suddenly as Batman leapt towards her, tackling her and knocking the gun flying out of her hand to the floor in front of her.**

**Batgirl sprang forward and kicked the gun away from the startled villainess, sending it sliding across the floor and into a second doorway at the side of the room.**

**Batman forced Jade's hands behind her back as Batgirl stepped towards her."I'll ask again, where is he?" she demanded.**

**"Looking for me?"**

**The two heroes looked towards the side door to find Roy had appeared, he now stood just inside the room, the gun that had been kicked away moments before was now held steadily in his hand and pointed at the two of them.**

**"Roy!" Batgirl cried, relieved to see him.**

**Roy frowned at the strangers use of his name. "Stay where you are..don't move." he said, his tone leaving no doubt that he had every intention of using the weapon if he had to.**

**Cass froze, confused at first, then realizing there was something wrong. It would be madness to defy the order, Roy's killer aim would leave her no time to cross the room or to throw a well aimed Batarang. "Roy?...Why are you doing this?..Whats wrong?" she asked, suppressing the surge of emotion that rushed through her.**

**Roy ignored the question. "The two of you...get over there." he said, indicating the side of the room away from Cheshire.**

**The heroes had little choice but to comply, both realized there was more behind Roy's actions then there appeared to be. As soon as they stepped away Batman noticed Cheshire disappear out the other door.**

**Roy watched the darkly clad heroes closely...There was something vaguely familiar about them, but he couldn't place what it was. "Who the hell are you?" he snapped.**

**"Roy?" Cass said his name questioningly, there was obviously a serious problem here, she realized.**

**At that moment a disheveled Nightwing and Black Canary burst through the door that Cheshire had disappeared through minutes before.**

**Roy swung the gun towards them. "Don't fuckin move." he shouted.**

**Both heroes stopped still.**

**"Roy?...Boyo, whats going on?" Dinah asked.**

**"Shut up...just..just get over there with the others." Roy ordered.**

**Suddenly a little body exploded through the doorway and barreled past Roy. To late Roy reached out to grab her, watching horrified as the little girl raced towards the two new arrivals.**

**"UNCLE WING!...CANARY!." she yelled happily.**

**"LIAN!...Sweetheart get back here." Roy yelled his heart pounding from fear of the danger he thought his little girl was in.**

**"But Daddy..." Lian began.**

**"Stay away Lian...get back behind me." Roy yelled at her, as panic set in and he took a step towards her.**

**Taking advantage of Roy's panicked distraction. Batman let fly with a batarang...knocking the gun flying from the Archers hand and following through by leaping across the room in the blink of an eye, instantly reaching out to apply a nerve pinch that dropped the young man unconscious to the ground.**

**"DADDY!." Lian screamed racing back to her father. "You hurt my Daddy." she cried accusingly.**

**"Was that absolutely necessary?" Black Canary asked angrily as she reached towards the crying child.**

**"There wasn't a choice Dinah...He doesn't know who we are, he might have used the gun." Cass said as she knelt to cradle Roys head gently on her knees.**

**Dinah bit back the questions she wanted to ask as she placed her hand reassuringly on Lian's shoulder. "Daddy's going to be okay sweetheart, he'll wake up in a little while." she said soothingly.**

**Lian shrugged of the hand, turning to look accusingly at Dinah. "Mommy was right...you just want to keep us away from her. You don't really love us or you wouldn't have hurt Daddy...I HATE YOU!." she yelled as she turned back to lay on her fathers chest, hugging him and sobbing.**

**Dinah looked at Cass. "What the hell has she done to them?" she asked, as she felt a surge of hate rise within her at the thought of what Jade had told the little girl, she pushed the feeling aside and went to the little girl, as Batman and Nightwing dissappeared out of the room to go in search of the woman who had caused all of this turmoil in their lives..**

**end 19**


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 17**

**When Roy finally did gain consciousness, Dinah and Cass realized immediately that things could in all likelihood go from bad to worse very quickly. It was very obvious that he seemed to remember nothing of them or his past, his reaction to their continued presence was not that of a man who could be reasoned with and it took both of them to subdue him long enough to get a set of hand cuffs on him before any of the objects in the room were turned into deadly accurate projectiles at his disposal.**

**Now Dinah and Cass stood back and with heavy hearts, pondered what to do about the messy situation as Roy sat with his back against the wall, hands cuffed behind him glaring at them with a look of such intense hatred that it made Dinahs heart rate increase. Occasionally he would glance away briefly to mutter soothing words to Lian who alternated between crying and clinging desperately to him and yelling at the two women to "Go away and stop hurting my Daddy.". They both knew they had to convince Roy to willingly come back with them, they couldn't keep him hand cuffed forever, that certainly wouldn't be an ideal way of gaining his or Lian's trust again.**

**After wondering what to do and quietly discussing the situation with Cass out of hearing range of Roy and Lian. It was decided it would be best if Dinah approached Lian, they needed to win the little girls trust in order to calm her before they could even attempt to reason with Roy. Cass felt it would be best if she stayed in the background and allowed Dinah to handle things, Dinah's history with the little girl stretched to when Roy first brought her home, and the bond they shared was a close cross between a favorite Aunty and a very young Grandmother.**

**Dinah approached the little girl and knelt down a short distance away, careful not to get so close as to make Lian feel threatened. "Lian.. sweetheart...we're not going to hurt your Daddy, we love you both we'd never hurt either of you." she said gently.**

**Lian continued to hug her father, her tear stained face pressed against his chest, the childs sobs eased just a little and Dinah knew she was listening.**

**"Honey do you remember what it was like when you lived in Gotham?" Dinah asked, trying to ignore the threatening look Roy focused on her.**

**Lian nodded against Roy's chest as her sobs faded away almost completely.**

**"Then you remember how much we all love you." Dinah continued gently.**

**"Leave her alone!" Roy snapped.**

**Dinah ignored the order and continued to focus on Lian. "You're part of our family...we've missed you so much that it hurts, that's why we came to find you, without you both our hearts can't be whole."**

**Lian sat up straighter, sniffling as she watched Dinah closely.**

**"Do you know we couldn't even have Christmas without you there, we were all so sad." Dinah continued, she knew bringing Christmas up was probably a low act, but if it worked in helping to win the little girls trust, then she really didn't care.**

**"You didn't have Christmas?" Lian asked wide eyed.**

**"No honey, we've been waiting to find you..all your presents are wrapped and waiting for when you come home."**

**"But Mommy say's you didn't really love us, she say's we belong here." Lian said frowning, it seemed so confuseing that her mother would say those things, yet here was her Aunty Dinah in front of her, and Lian could feel the warmth and love that she always felt when she was near her.**

**"Sweetheart, I need you to do something for me." Dinah said.**

**Lian nodded and waited for Dinah to continue. **

**"I need you to think really hard about what you know about me and all of your Aunts and Uncles and everyone that loves you...and tell me what you feel in your heart." Dinah added.**

**Roy who had remained reasonably quiet until then, started to protest as Lian stood up and began to walk to Dinah. "Lian no!..Don't go near her."**

**"Roy it's going to be okay...Please, you have to believe me when I tell you that." Cass said, then thinking that it would be better talking to Roy on a more personal level..as Cassandra Cain rather than Batgirl, she removed her mask.**

**Roy stared at the face of the beautiful young woman in front of him, she seemed so familiar to him, and a warm surge of emotion that he couldn't quite place washed over him, he watched her for a moment, before pushing the feeling away. "Your the ones Jade spoke of, the ones that kept us apart...I won't let you do it again, we belong here with Jade." he said angrily.**

**"Jades not here anymore Roy...She left you and Lian and escaped, she and Wen Cheng are gone." Nightwing said as he and Batman returned from their hunt for the assassin.**

**Roy shook his head vehemently. "No..She'll be back, she loves us." he said firmly.**

**"She's gone Roy, she didn't even try to come back to help you. She left you both and saved her own hide, does that sound like love to you?" Dick asked, he watched his friend carefully, there was a slightly glazed look to the red heads eyes, and his personality was definitely not the same as the Roy Dick knew so well.**

**"She'll be back." Roy said again, this time the others could hear some of the archers confidence wavering.**

**"Do you know how long you have been here Roy?" Batman asked.**

**"I...No..a longtime I think." Roy stammered.**

**"Do you even know were here is?..What country you are in?"**

**Roy thought hard, the confusion he had felt some weeks ago returning in a sickening wave. He thought the country was somewhere in Asia, but he'd asked Jade a couple of times and she had steered the subject to other things, now that he thought about it, she never had given him an answer. "No."**

**"Did you ask Jade?"**

**"Yes..but she never told me."**

**"Have you ever left this home?" Batman continued with his questions, taking careful note of the Archers rapidly growing confusion, and making the same observation about the Archer's eyes that Dick had moments before.**

**Roy shook his head. "No, Jade went away a couple of times..to work, but she never took me."**

**"Did Jade tell you what that work was?" Batman pressed on.**

**Roy shook his head, in all honesty he hadn't even asked, he knew Wen Cheng had been training him to work with Jade, but for months he had simply put one foot after the other and robotically done as he was instructed, he had been too confused and worried about his loss of memory to think much about other things.**

**"So you have no idea how long you've been here, where here is, you've never been given the opportunity to leave this home and you have no idea where Jade goes or what work she does?...Did it ever occur to you that perhaps that is a little odd?" Batman asked.**

**Roy was beginning to realize how little he actually knew about Jade...But as little as that was it was still more than he knew about the people standing here in front of him, Jade had helped and guided him, Jade persevered with his continued questions and confusion..He was more grateful to Jade than she could begin to imagine, she was his life line. "No..this is a trick." he said, his anger flaring again, he glanced at Lian who was now held in Dinah's arms. "It's a trick baby, don't listen." he said.**

**"No, it's not a trick Roy, we love you...I love you, don't you remember anything? Don't you remember us?" Cass asked desperately.**

**Roy looked at her, feeling that familiar warm feeling again, he didn't know why he felt he could trust her...he didn't know why her voice calmed him and made him feel safe. "I...I..No I don't remember, I don't remember anything." he said, the confusion settling over him like a heavy weight that he couldn't shake off.**

**"Then let us help you remember, come back with us.' Cass said.**

**"But Jade..."**

**"Jades gone Roy...If you come back with us I promise if you don't remember and you still want to be with Jade, none of us will stand in your way, in fact I'll even help you find her myself." Cass said, she had complete confidence that it would never come to that, Roy would realize who Jade was, he would realize who he was, she didn't have any doubts about that.**

**Roy continued to stare at Cass as she walked towards him and knelt beside him, his face that had moments ago been a mask of anger was now a mask of confusion. He felt as though he'd known this woman for a lifetime but he didn't know her at all. His heart told him he could trust her, but his head warned him not to. Reasoning that he had little choice but to comply to the request... he couldn't stay here in the middle of a country he didn't even know the name of, or even how far he had to go to even reach the nearest town from this house. If need be, once they took him to where ever they intended taking him he could always take Lian and disappear when he decided to, but for now he didn't have any other options. "Ok..I'll go." he murmured, relieved to have his hands released as Cass undid the handcuffs.**

**end 17**


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 18**

**Within a week of arriving back in Gotham Roy was certain he was losing his mind, the glimpses of memories now constantly plagued him, everywhere he went, everything he saw held so much familiarity for him that it had almost started to become painful. Memories inundated his dreams and haunted his every waking moment, always so tantalizingly close yet so impossibly far away. Initially his reaction was a desperate need to run...to find Jade and the security and calmness she offered him. But very quickly it became apparent that he couldn't leave, he was drawn to the memories as much as he wanted to escape them, he couldn't leave them behind because they would only follow him. He knew if he stayed he would need to keep on guard for any attempts to turn him away from Jade, just as Jade had told him these people had done before, but so far he had seen or heard nothing that would have him thinking that was happening.**

**Bruce had insisted Dr Tomkins run some test when they returned, and just as he suspected there had been traces of an unknown drug in Roy's blood, and that confused Roy even more, he couldn't remember being given any medication, he couldn't imagine why he would have anything of the sort in his system, none of it made any sense.**

**Giving up on fighting the battle to sleep that he knew he couldn't win, Roy climbed out of bed and quietly left his room. He knew Dinah would be asleep in the room she shared with Bruce, Bruce and Cass would still be out on patrol, he had at one stage wondered why the idea of a man dressed as a giant bat patrolling the streets of Gotham with his cohorts seem a natural thing to him, but he had dismissed any further thought on the matter, there were just too many other questions running through his mind of much greater importance to him. Cass had chosen to stay at the manor since he had returned, and Roy was grateful for that, there was something soothing about her nearness that he needed, he thought perhaps, with her long dark hair and big brown eyes that she reminded him of Jade and he was drawn to that in some way.**

**He missed Jade, he longed for her, her touch, her smell. But he also found he had begun to question some of the things she had told him, some things that didn't feel right at the time she had told him now seemed much more than just not right, they seemed very, very wrong. He had pondered that for sometime, finally deciding that Jade would have a reason for saying those things, she had never let him down and he was sure she would explain to him when he returned to her.**

**He walked silently down the stairs, and quietly left the house, making his way to a large tree that arched gracefully over the neatly mowed lawns. It was a balmy night, summer had finally set in, and the stars sparkled brightly against the ebony background of the sky above. He sat down and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, looking at the beauty above him, finding the awe inspiring calmness it radiated took away some of the worries that plagued him, instantly easing the stress and relaxing him.**

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**Cass had showered and changed and was headed upstairs the manor, it had been a big week, huge in fact and Cass was feeling emotionally drained. Lian had settled almost immediately back into their lives, the little girl had fired numerous questions at them which they had answered carefully and tactfully, saying nothing that would criticize her mother. Criticizing Cheshire was something they all agreed to avoid, it was very clear that she had subjected Roy to some sort or brainwashing technique, the drug in his system and the things Lian had said about her Dad being 'sick' as well as Roy's behavior left no doubt about that. They had known from almost the moment they had found him that he had lost his memory, initially they weren't entirely certain what had caused that, but both Dick and Bruce had suspected something like that straight away. What they hadn't expected was the absolute ruthlessness in which all almost all of Roy's memories had been striped away, they had never heard of a technique as powerful as that.**

**Cass wondered if she would ever see the man she loved return to the way she remembered him, not only had Jade stripped his memories of her, she had taken Cass's place in his heart, and that in turn made Cass feel like she was being crushed on the inside. She knew it wasn't Roy's fault, she knew the feelings he had for Jade had been manufactured, he trusted Jade, he had turned to her in his confusion and opened his heart to her, she was all he knew and he clung to that. Dick was quick to point out that a love bourne from need and confusion and deceit was not really love and Roy would know that when he acknowledged what he felt for Cass, and he did still feel something, Dick could see it in the way his friend watched Cass whenever they were in the same room. He could see the look of recognition in Roy's eyes, a look of longing for something he couldn't quite reach or understand. Dick was confident that Roy would remember things soon, but Cass wasn't so sure, she was worried that Roy was just becoming even more irritable and confused.**

**As Cass headed towards the staircase but was surprised to find Alfred awake and apparently waiting for herself or Bruce to return, Bruce was still in the cave finishing of a report of the nights activities so Cass looked towards Alfred questioningly. "Is something wrong Alfred?"**

**Alfred smiled a reassuring smile. "Not necessarily Miss Cassandra, I was alerted to someone leaving the house and I came down to check on things. It appears master Roy has had some difficulty sleeping and has taken himself outside." he said.**

**Cass's eyes widened slightly in alarm. "Where did he go? How long has he been gone?"**

**"There's nothing to be alarmed about Miss Cassandra, he left about an hour ago, but he hasn't left the grounds, actually I believe he has found the warm night air quite relaxing. " the elderly man replied.**

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**He could hear the reassuring voice of the woman who whispered to him in his dreams, a voice he had dreamed of repeatedly over many months. He heard her often but he could never see her face, he could see her long dark hair, feel it's silky softness as it ran through his fingers, the touch of her lips on his and the warmth of her body in his arms...he heard he voice again, calling to him, a gentle caress as her fingers ran through his hair. He stirred and the image in his mind faded away but the voice remained.**

**Roy hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until his eyes fluttered open, he stared at the woman who knelt beside him, the light of the full moon casting a dream like quality about her form as he blinked rapidly trying to clear his sleep blurred vision..."Cass?" he whispered, he had known from the moment he saw her that she was the woman he'd dreamt of, Jade had warned him about her, about her lies and her betrayal, about how she had stolen him away from Jade. But looking up at her now, her face reflecting only the concern and worry she felt as well as something else..love? He could almost push Jade's words from his head...almost but not quite.**

**"I...What time is it?" he asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position.**

**Cass began to dust the grass from out of his hair and off his back. "Early...Are you okay?" she asked gently.**

**"Um..Yeah, I just couldn't sleep...Well not inside anyway."**

**Cass nodded and sat back watching him quietly. "Well you've always felt more relaxed outside than in." she finally said.**

**Roy looked puzzled for a moment, she was right about that, "Why?"**

**"Why?...Why do you feel more comfortable outside than in? Cass asked.**

**Roy nodded. "I mean I know I love it out here, it's relaxing...and it sure as hell is beautiful to lay back and watch the stars, but it feels like more than that." he said.**

**"Well there is a good reason for that, you grew up in Arizona until you turned thirteen." Cass replied, she had wanted to drag all of Roy's photo albums and scrapbooks out the moment they had brought him home, in and attempt to help him remember, but Dinah had asked her to wait, and Cass had been glad she had, Roy had enough trouble coping with the sudden surge of feeling and promised memories that didn't quiet return that had assailed him as soon as he stepped foot in the manor.**

**"Arizona?..Arizona..." Roy said the word slowly, it had a magical quality about it, it brought with it the smell of wood smoke from campfires,memories of wide open spaces, and red sands. Memories that held no worries or confusion only calmness and reassurance. "I remember Arizona!" he said excited by the revelation.**

**"You do?" Cass asked equally as excited.**

**"Yes...I remember Arizona, I remember, the desert and the sunshine, and the reservation..and I remember Brave Bow." he said, his eyes sparkling excitedly, he wasn't so lost any more he had a beginning, a place where his memories had started.**

**Cass laughed happily, his joy making her heart soar, she wanted to know if he remembered more but thought better that to ask, that would only ruin the moment, he was happy to have that small part of him back, and Cass knew it was only a beginning, if he could remember Arizona he would eventually remember the rest. Spontaneously she reached out to hug him, annoyed with herself at first when he stiffened and started to pull away, but just as she released him he hugged her back, only briefly, only for a moment, and he was on his feet in seconds, but it was enough to make Cass's heart pound.**

**"I want to go to Arizona, I have to go there." Roy said, pausing for a moment before offering his hand to help Cass to her feet.**

**Cass hesitated for the briefest moment, surprised by such a simple gesture, before accepting his hand and pulling herself to her feet beside him. "Then we'll go...Whatever you need to do we'll do it.' she said, and they would, whatever he needed, whatever it took, he was coming back to her, she was certain of that now.**

**end 18**


	19. Chapter 19

**Part 19**

**They had been camping for a couple of day's at a spot that Roy had remembered, it was near a small canyon that had a stream flowing through it that Roy and his guardian Brave Bow would frequently come to hunt and fish when Roy was a child. The peace and tranquility as well as the warm safe feeling of having found at least one place in his life that held tangible memories, not just whispered promises of them, brought a deep calmness to Roy...a renewed sense of hope for the future.**

**But along with the hope came fear, he had begun to remember things, some of them meaningless and trivial, others he knew had held great significance in his life...a group of colorfully clad teenagers, one of whom he knew to be Dick...and others that he remembered their faces, but not yet their names, he remembered Dinah and Ollie..and a dark haired toddler taking her first steps, those memories and others had begun to return with increasing frequency, but along with the good came the bad...laying on the floor in Dinah's apartment, the agony of heroin withdrawal tearing through his body, shaking uncontrollably as Dinah wrapped her arms around him, comforting him and reassuring him..and worse much worse, the image of Jade standing in front of him, her face contorted in anger screaming words that tore at his heart. "You'll never see our child...never!" "I should have killed you when we first met.". Those memories made his blood run cold, he knew by now that Jade had manipulated him, the woman she had appeared to be wasn't really who she was, that was merely a deception. Yet despite knowing that he still felt torn, as though she beckoned him to return to her, he was repulsed by her, yet undeniably attracted to her. **

**He looked over to where Cass lay curled up with Lian, both sleeping soundly, the light of the flickering camp fire casting a flickering orange glow over their peacefully sleeping figures. He realized that what Jade had told him about Cass and Dinah and the others, was part of Jades deception, he still couldn't remember much about Cass being in his life...but he remembered enough to know they had loved each other. He felt a deep burning need when he looked at Cass, an urge to hold her and draw comfort from being in her arms...but that was something he couldn't allow to happen..not when he still had these irrational, uncontrollable feelings for Jade.**

**Cass stirred and opened her eyes, staring tiredly at the fire for a moment before looking over at Roy...She smiled "Hey." she said sleepily, her smile increasing when he rewarded her with one of his own. She carefully removed her arms from around Lian and crept out of the sleeping bag then stood up and walked over to sit near Roy. She wondered briefly what time it was...guessing it would be after midnight. "I thought you found it easier to relax outside!" she said jokingly.**

**He lay on his side propped up on his elbow watching her for a moment, drinking in her beauty indulgently before pushing himself up to sit beside her. "I do...I'm totally relaxed, just thinking that's all."**

**"Hmm...Secret?" Cass asked.**

**Roy chuckled. "Not really...just ...you know, the usual..trying to piece together a few memories." he replied.**

**Cass looked concerned. "You shouldn't push it too hard, it'll come to you eventually...remember what Dr Tompkins said about takeing things one step at a time, and not rushing it." she said.**

**"Nah...I'm not pushing it, everyday I remember new things.." he stopped for a moment, thinking carefully. Cass said nothing, sensing he had more to say. "I remember some things about Chesh, I know Jade...well I know she wasn't a good person. " he said softly.**

**Cass watched him intently, not speaking, allowing him time to say what he needed to say.**

**He glanced at her, their eyes locking for a moment before he looked away, staring at the fire. "I know we had something special...Cass I'm sorry, but I don't remember...I kept trying but I just can't. I can feel it when I look at you, I know the memories are there but they just wont let me get to them." He said, feeling annoyed with his failure to remember.**

**Cass moved a little closer and placed a hand on his arm, careful not to get so close that he would feel uncomfortable. "Roy, it'll come, don't worry about it yet. You've come a long way in the last few days, I know your wanting to remember things quickly, but it's not going to hit you all at once...You're not just going to go to sleep and wake up with all those missing memories back...You mightn't remember what we had, but I do...and I'm willing to wait because what we had is worth waiting for."**

**"You don't understand...I just...Damn it I'm so pissed at Jade...but at the same time I feel like I need to go to her, like I'm drawn to her." Roy said softly as he ran his fingers through his hair, he didn't look at Cass, he didn't feel he could meet her eyes.**

**"Do you love her Roy?" Cass asked quietly.**

**Roy thought for a moment...Did he love Jade?..feeling drawn to her, feeling like he belonged with her, was that the same? "I don't know." he whispered.**

**Cass released the breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding. "If you loved her, you would know Roy...You do understand what Jade's done to you don't you?...That she's the reason your feeling like this?...The type of emotional manipulation she's put you through...it's not just removing your memories Roy...it's, much, much deeper than that."**

**"I know, I know..I've thought about it a lot...I know she can be a bitch, I know what she's done is unforgivable, in my head I know all that...It's just...She and I had something once and..." his voice trailed off and he sighed deeply. "I feel like I've betrayed you...yet I feel like I'd be doing the same to Jade if I...Shit Cass I just feel so damn messed up." He said, his shoulders slumping.**

**Cass, moved to take his face in her hands, turning him to face her..seeing the hurt and confusion that was so clearly visible in his eyes. "I'm not naive Roy, I now what happened between you and Jade...I also know that wasn't your fault...Whatever has happened, whatever will happen we'll get through it one step at a time. You need to be kinder on yourself, give things time, you have some healing to do but it's going to be okay..I promise." she said.**

**Roy stared into her eyes, he could see the honesty in them, he knew he could trust her, she would never let him down. He reached up and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips for the briefest of kisses, before releasing them and putting an arm around her shoulders, hugging her gratefully. "Thankyou." he said softly, the relief in his voice clearly discernable. No matter what the future held, he knew it would be okay..because Cass believed it would be, because she had faith in him, because he knew he had a soft place to fall.**

**end 18**


	20. Chapter 20

**Part 20 **

**Cass watched as Roy sat fletching arrows at the kitchen table in his apartment, Lian had been put to bed an hour before, Cass smiled at the thought of the little girls happy face as her father relayed a story to her from his days in the Titans. Cass couldn't believe how far Roy had come in the last six months, he had regained almost all his memories...though occasionally something Dick or Dinah would mention in passing that they presumed Roy would know about would see his brow wrinkle slightly and a searching look cross his face, Cass knew at those times Roy had hit upon something he couldn't quite recall, but he would quickly push away any worry about it and move on.**

**It had taken a long time, but Roy had finally been able to move past the feelings he thought he had for Jade...as his memories returned so did his understanding of why he had felt so drawn to her. Not just because of the cruel manipulative way she had toyed with his mind, but because in a way they did have a bond, they always would and Roy would always look for good in Jade no matter how wicked or cruel or horrible the things she did were, because of that bond, a bond that had been created when they had Lian...and something as beautiful and loving as his little girl could not have come from something truly evil.**

**Cass stood up and picked her empty coffee cup up and walked over to put it in the sink, returning to lean down and wrap her arms around Roy's neck, hugging him from behind, and gently kissing his cheek.**

**"Nearly finished." he said. as he continued on with his task, smiling at the warm feeling that always engulfed him when Cass was close. He was lucky, incredibly lucky. He could have lost her...he may never have even known what he would be missing if they hadn't found him...If Cass and the others hadn't considered him worthy enough of their love to persevere in their search for him.**

**Once he had been able to sort through his feelings for Jade he had continued to push Cass away...He was angry with Jade for causing the hurt she had, and angry with himself for somehow not preventing it. He's spent countless hours searching data banks, following up leads and harassing informants trying to find Jade to ask her why...he had felt he needed to find her to move on, he needed to see justice done.**

**Then Dinah had taken him aside.."Boyo...Jade didn't succeed in destroying your life...but you are. You're so engrossed in trying to find her and make her pay for trying to destroy your past that you're pushing away the one person that can give you a future." she had said. Roy had thought long and hard about it..and he had come to the conclusion that he had to let go, to not do so would mean in some small way Jade had won, it would mean Jade was still controlling his life, and enough was enough. He refused to allow her to do that any more, never again would he allow her to control and manipulate him..from that moment on he had taken back control of his life.**

**Cass hugged him tighter then reached down to unbutton his shirt and slide her hands down the front of it and over his muscular chest. She nibbled gently on his ear lobe and giggled when he shivered involuntarily at the soft touch.**

**"I'm nearly fin...Oh crap, I can do it later." Roy said as he removed her hands from his shirt and guided her around to the front of him, pushing his chair back at the same time and pulling her down onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist as Cass entwined hers around his neck and looked into his eyes. He smiled gleefully at her...his green eyes twinkling mischievously.**

**Cass's smile broadened...this was her Roy...cheeky, mischievous and sometimes to darned cocky for his own good. It had taken a long time to get to this point...to where he was forgiving enough of himself to allow her back into his arms, his heart...and his bed.**

**"I could always go and let you finish them." she said.**

**"Go where?." he asked the smile fading a little and the beginnings of a frown creasing his brow.**

**"Oh..I don't know...to bed maybe, and you can stay here and finish fletching." she said teasingly.**

**Roy chuckled. "You think?...How about I tuck you in." he said raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.**

**Cass laughed. "Oh...and I was hoping for a bed time story too." she said, feigning disappointment.**

**"Anything you want my lady...Your wish is my command." Roy replied.**

**"In that case..." Cass leaned over and whispered a suggestion in his ear. Laughing again when Roy's eye's widened.**

**"Where on earth did you get a mouth like that?" he laughed, as he stood up, lifting her easily and carried her towards the bedroom.**

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**Afterwards the lay together, their limbs entwined, reveling in the afterglow of their lovemaking, the warm relaxed feeling that brought peace to their souls settling over them. Roy wished the moment could last forever...he always did when they were alone together like this...Nothing he had ever felt in his life compared to the feeing of belonging he now felt with Cass...He knew what love was now, and he knew it wasn't what he'd had with Jade. He nuzzled Cass's hair, loving the softness of it against his skin.**

**"Baby?" he said.**

**"Hmm." Cass replied dreamily as she rested her head against his chest.**

**"I love you, you know?" he said softly as he gently stroked her back.**

**"I know." Cass murmured happily.**

**"Have I told you how much?" he asked quietly.**

**Hearing the serious tone his voice had taken on, Cass turned and propped herself up to look into his eyes.**

**He studied her for a moment..her beautiful face, her hair...her lips.. before his eyes locked with hers.**

**"What is it?" Cass asked, suddenly concerned. "Is it Jade?" she didn't know why she asked that, but the words were out before she could stop them.**

**He frowned at the question. "Jade?...No...no nothing about Jade...that's gone, past, I never want to worry about her again...No this is about us." he said.**

**"Us?" Cass asked.**

**"I want you to know how serious I am when I say we belong together...I want the whole world to know what we have...I want there to be no doubt in anybody's mind just how important you are to me...I think it's time to take the next step...to make things more...more permanent..in the traditional way." Roy stammered, annoyed with himself for sounding so 'uncool.'**

**Cass smiled warmly...knowing what he was trying to say. She ran her hand gently down his cheek...Then deciding to let him of the hook she asked. "Why Mr Harper...you wouldn't perhaps be suggesting that we get hitched by any chance?"**

**Roy smiled broadly. "You bet I am...So?"**

**"So?...What?" Cass teased.**

**Roy groaned and rolled his eyes.**

**Cass giggled. "Of course I'll marry you." she said, reaching behind his neck and pulling him down into a kiss.**

**Roy returned the kiss deeply, holding her in his arms, pressed firmly against him where he knew she belonged. Jade may have tried to destroy his past...but she could never steel his future. He had been in some dark places in his life, but he had finally walked into the bright light at the end of the long dark tunnel he had been traveling.**

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**The end (well almost)**

**Jade smiled to herself, the morning sunshine warming her skin as she walked through the gardens, the heady scent of jasmine surrounding her like a thickly scented curtain. Her attempt to have Lian back in her life may have failed...but that was no longer of any consequence. She had moved on from that, there was little point in dwelling over unsuccessful plans...There was one thing she had learned in life..when one door closes another one will open. She reached down and placed her hand on her swollen stomach, feeling the life inside it stirring...Roy may have their daughter...but he would _never_ get to see their son.**

**The real end.**


End file.
